Birds, Blokes, and Invisibility Cloaks
by OxWiCkEdOnExO
Summary: A glance inside the lives of Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione as they deal with book signings, marriage proposals, saying 'I love you', finishing up their Auror training, and that blasted Invisibility Cloak. postDH
1. Them Birds

**TITLE:**

"**Birds, Blokes, and Invisibility Cloaks"**

**AUTHOR:**

**XoWiCkEdOnEoX**

**CHAPTERS:**

**1) "Them Birds" ((Hermione and Ginny's POV))**

**2) "Those Blokes" ((Ron and Harry's POV))**

**3) "The Invisibility Cloak" ((Omniscient))**

**SUMMARY:**

**A glance inside the lives of Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione as they deal with book signings, marriage proposals, saying 'I love you', finishing up their Auror training, and that blasted Invisibility Cloak..**

**SETTING:**

**Two years after the Battle of Hogwarts**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I own nothing. At all. Woo. JK Rowling's amazing. Everything belongs to her. Duh.**

**--**

"

"_The course of true love never did run smooth." – William Shakespeare_

CHAPTER ONE: THEM BIRDS

The sun was beginning to set on another beautiful day as Ron and Hermione walked hand in hand in the sand, looking out at a vast stretch of ocean. They were the only people for miles and Hermione wore a long, thin, purple silk dress that billowed behind her in the wind. Ron wore a half-way buttoned blue shirt that showed off some of his masculine chest.

"Ron, where are we?" She asked softly, listening to the sound of the waves gently crashing to shore and occasionally tickling the edges of their feet.

"Paradise." He replied and she smiled contently. It had been the perfect evening. Ron had taken her out to a romantic dinner and surprised her with a dozen red roses. He had not stopped showering her in kisses and compliments, repeatedly announcing that he loved her. After dinner they had stopped by one of Hermione's favorite book stores and Ron had agreed to buy her any book she wanted. They had then come to this quaint beach where they had laid their things in the sand, not worried about anybody taking them, and decided to take a walk.

"Why have you gone through all of this trouble for tonight?" She asked and he stopped walking but continued to smile down at her.

"Because, my darling, I have something very important to ask you." He said taking both of her hands in his and squeezing them.

"Really? What is it you wanted to ask me, Ronald?" Hermione asked not daring to think what she had been secretly hoping for. Yet, just as she had always imagined, Ron got down on one of his knees, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

"Oh Ron!" She gasped and felt her eyes begin to water.

"Hermione Jean Granger… 'My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite'." He said poetically and Hermione felt her heart flutter.

"Since when did you know Shakespeare?" She asked pleasantly baffled.

"A man in love will go to any lengths to impress the woman he adores." He said and kissed the top of her hand.

"Ron…" She breathed as he opened the velvet box to reveal a beautiful diamond engagement ring.

"Hermione, will you BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"

Hermione Granger awoke with a start at the sound of her alarm clock. She quickly hit the snooze button and waited till her eyes adjusted to the still dark bedroom. Ginny was lying in the bed next to her still sleeping soundly. Hermione sighed as she kicked off her sheets. She slid out of her bed and stretched before moving towards the opposite wall where a calendar hung next to the light switch. She flicked the switch and the room was suddenly bursting with light. Ginny did not wake up at this; she merely rolled over onto her side. Hermione smiled and turned to look at the calendar.

June 1.

That meant her, Ron, and Harry had been living in Fred and George's old flat in Diagon Ally for exactly two years now. After the war was over they needed a place to stay, and George had generously allowed them his old flat while he and Lee moved into a new flat in Hogsmeade. Ginny had moved in with the trio over a year later, and she ran the joke shop in Diagon Ally that they lived above.

Hermione walked into the bathroom that was in her and Ginny's room. She tried her hardest not to think about the dream she had been having as she stepped into the shower and began to wash her hair. She had been dating Ron ever since the war ended (with a few potential break ups here and there) and he had yet to say "I love you". There had been moments when Hermione thought he was about to say it but simply seemed to lose his nerve. For the most part that was the only flaw in their relationship (besides their constant bickering) but it was what bothered her the most. She was positive that Ron loved her just as much as she loved him and was fully prepared to marry him. She had never confessed these feelings to Ron, however, thinking that it was his job to say the "L-Word" first. Hermione stepped out of the shower ten minutes later, magicked her hair dry within seconds, and left the bathroom to find Ginny waiting to enter it.

"Good morning, Ginny." Hermione said as she walked towards the bedroom door.

"Good morning." Ginny replied, stifling a yawn as she took her turn in the bathroom. Hermione walked across the hallway, past the other bathroom, and towards the second bedroom in the house. She opened the door quietly and walked in on tip toe. She moved towards the bed nearest the door and bent over the sleeping form, snoring loudly.

"Ron… wake up." She whispered and shook him gently. He grunted in reply and continued snoring.

"Ron Weasley, wake up right now!" She demanded and this time she pulled the covers off of him and gave him a much rougher shake. He awoke and looked up at her groggily.

"What?" He said not completely focusing on her.

"I said 'Wake up', Ron. It's time to go to work." She said and he nodded. She turned to leave the room but he grabbed on to her hand and pulled her back over to him. She fell ungracefully onto the bed and Ron laughed at her.

"Shut up! You'll wake Harry." She scolded half-heartedly, trying her hardest not to smile with him.

"Good morning to you too." Ron said and gave her a kiss on the lips. Hermione pulled away quickly, knowing that they both had to finish getting ready for work.

"Good morning. Now get ready." She said and walked out of the room as Ginny, who was already fully dressed, walked in. Ron stood up and stretched before heading towards the shower in the bathroom across the hall.

Hermione went back into her bedroom and began to get dressed. She picked out a pair of light purple robes and matching shoes. She pulled her long, less bushy, brown hair into a ponytail tied with a purple ribbon and smiled at her reflection.

She exited the room to find Ginny and Ron (who was still in his bathrobe) already cooking breakfast. Hermione sat down as the two red heads sent the food to the table. They sat down on either side of her and they began to eat in silence. Harry joined them five minutes later, also wearing his bathrobe. Hermione and him had discovered Ron's hidden skills as a cook soon after they had moved into the flat and he had been in charge of meals ever since. Ginny, too, seemed to have inherited her mother's cooking skills and helped Ron out in that department.

The group ate in silence, as was their custom. When Hermione finished eating she looked at her watch and stood up from the table, carrying her dish to the sink.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ron asked as he repeated her actions.

"I'm going to work, of course." She snapped at him.

"You've got another ten minutes to get there! We don't have to be there until seven!" He exclaimed heading towards his and Harry's bedroom but still managing to continue his conversation.

"Well excuse me if I like being punctual and dedicated to my job!" She said in a huffy voice.

"Showing up to work ten minutes before you have to be there is not being punctual and dedicated, it's called being 'a suck-up and annoying'." Ron told her and as Harry passed her on his way to the bedroom she could hear him stifling his laugh.

"You are such a prat!" She shouted and turned on her heal and Disapparated to the Ministry.

Usually Hermione would be upset by any fights with Ron but the Morning Fight in which he made fun of her for going to work early and she scolded him for doing so had become part of their routine and no longer offended her.

She went about her business and hurried towards the Lifts and was taken to Level Two, where she found herself amongst the familiar throng of cubicles. Harry, Ron, and she had been taken in by the Ministry only weeks after moving into their flat. Kingsley had been the one to take them on as Aurors-in-Training and promised the three of them that only two years of training would be necessary since they had already proven themselves to be more than adequate in defeating dark wizards. Their two years was almost up and the three of them had been hard at work for the last few weeks leading up to their induction as full-time Aurors.

Hermione found her small cubicle and sat at her desk, taking out all of the paperwork from her in-tray. She began to sort and organize all of the papers and her mind began to wander.

Two years of living in a flat with Harry and Ron… Two years of dating Ron… Two years of Auror training… One year of sharing a bedroom and living with Ginny… Six months of writing her book.

Hermione's thoughts drifted towards the final copy of her book "_Harry Potter and the Dark Lord: The Journey for the Horcruxes and the Battle of Hogwarts"_ which now rested with Dean Thomas who was making a few illustrations for it. She had gotten the idea to write a book about the adventures of their seventh year soon after the war had ended. Harry and Ron were not too keen on the idea of her writing a book about it but she had made a very good argument for it. She had told them that it was better than hearing the story from someone like Rita Skeeter and that if the two of them would write their own excerpts the book would tell the whole, true, real story to the wizarding world. After almost a year of planning it out, convincing Ron and Harry to write part of it, and trying to make herself believe that she could do it, she began writing the book. It turned out to be much harder than she had first thought, considering she had to take into account all of the previous years of clues and knowledge. More than once Ron had suggested she just write seven different books, one for each year they were at Hogwarts. Hermione had been quick to dash that idea, telling Ron that nobody in their right mind would want to read seven books on their adventures.

The book had finally been finished though, and each of them had their own bit of story telling to do. Harry had written about his encounter with Voldemort and his attempted sacrifice that ended up protecting all of his friends and destroying the Horcrux inside of him. Ron had written about what happened to him after he left the two of them, about the chaos going on in the world outside, and about destroying the locket. It had taken a lot of provoking and many, many kisses from Hermione to get Ron to write down what had really happened when he opened the locket but when he finally wrote it down he would not let Hermione read it until the book was published.

"But how I am supposed to correct your writing if I can't even read it?" She had asked.

"You can give it to Harry. He'll correct it. It's not like I don't know proper English, Hermione. It's not that bad!" He had insisted and Hermione still did not know what happened when Ron opened the Horcrux.

"_I'll find out soon enough."_ She thought to herself as she finished up her paperwork. The book would be going on the shelves next week and the Daily Prophet had already made a big deal about its debut. This unveiling did nothing to help Hermione's nerves since she was now trying to cope with finishing her Auror training, getting Ron to say "I love you" and possibly commit for real, pushing Harry towards settling down with Ginny, and making sure they made enough money to meet their rent every month.

Hermione spent the rest of her morning, afternoon, and evening working with her trainer and reviewing what she had learned over the last two years. When she had finally finished her review it was past six o'clock and she thanked her trainer before Disapparating back to Diagon Ally. She walked along the almost empty street and found her way into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"Hey Ginny!" She called as Ginny stood at the register, where a teenage boy was buying some Puking Pastilles.

"Hey Hermione! Harry and Ron are already upstairs and I think they have a surprise for you." She said and gave Hermione a wink. Hermione smiled and rushed up the stairs to where the flat was located. She entered a small corridor and made her way over to the door. She tapped the handle with her wand, saying the password: Albus. Hermione entered the living room to find Harry and Ron both sitting on the couch pouring over a large, brand new book.

"Are you two reading?" She asked loudly and the two turned to look at her with broad grins on their faces.

"Always the tone of surprise." Harry said with a smirk and Ron chuckled next to him. Ron held up the book for Hermione to see. Across the dark purple binding, in shining green letters it read:

"_Harry Potter and the Dark Lord:_

_The Journey for the Horcruxes_

_And_

_The Battle of Hogwarts"_

_By: Hermione J. Granger_

_With additional writings from_

_Harry J. Potter and Ronald B. Weasley_

"Oh no!" She cried and ran over to the pair, grabbing the book from Ron's hands.

"Oh yes. It looks wonderful, Hermione. Look at Dean's pictures! They're really, really good!" Ron said as she sat down next to him. She opened the book and saw the first picture. It was of Ron, Harry, and Hermione each looking up at the reader with a look of utmost determination and pride on their faces. Ron was holding onto the sword of Godric Gryffindor, Harry held the Elder Wand, and Hermione held a book close to her chest. She continued to flip through the pages finding more pictures of the Weasley family, Dumbledore, the tent they had stayed in for so long, Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic, Hermione's beaded bag, Dolores Umbridge, the Deathly Hallows, the Horcruxes, the Order of the Phoenix, and even a very dark, heavily shaded picture of Lord Voldemort.

"Oh, these are absolutely wonderful! We'll have to thank Dean as soon as we can!" She exclaimed after viewing all of the pictures within the book.

"He'll be coming to the book signing so you'll be able to thank him then." Harry said casually, standing up walking towards the kitchen.

"What book signing?" Hermione asked looking from Ron to Harry and back again.

"Oh yeah, we forgot to tell you." Ron said with a small smile still lingering on his lips. "An employee from Flourish and Blotts came to visit Ginny at the joke shop today and told her that they would be having you, Harry, and me signing copies of the book the day they go on sale. He gave her a letter from the manager explaining everything." He finished looking satisfied at the shocked expression on Hermione's face.

"They want _us_ to do a book signing? And people are actually going to come?"

"The letter said that they had been receiving letters ever since you announced the title of the damn book demanding that they hold a book signing. They said that you're book signing will give Gilderoy Lockhart's a run for its money." Ron assured her, putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze.

"But… but…" Hermione couldn't even find words to express her surprise. How could people who hadn't even read the book yet want her to sign it? Why did people suddenly seem to _like_ her?

"Well before you get too big headed you should know that Rita Skeeter has just written an article about her thoughts on the book." Harry said, re-entering the room with a copy of _The Daily Prophet_ in his hands. "She's trying to discredit you in any way she can! She says: _'it's sure to be just another glossed over version of the controversial story surrounding Harry Potter and the Dark Lord's death. It would also do well to remind readers that the book's author, Hermione Granger, was known to have a fling with Harry Potter himself and proceeded to break the poor young man's heart. Needless to say this book will probably play as her apology note to Potter, a shameless plea for him to forgive her for throwing his love away, by portraying the troubled youth in a heroic light.… Potter and his best friend Ronald Weasley are also said to have written part of the book. This obviously proves that Hermione Granger has not completely given up on winning back Mr. Potter's fancy's while making him jealous by dating Mr. Weasley on the side... This journalist, personally, cannot see what kind of human being would want to read any story written by such a heartless, and overbearing author who will, no doubt, hide all of the details her readers deserve to know, which is why I, Rita Skeeter, have decided to write and publish my own book about the story of Harry Potter entitled: "__The Madness, Mayhem, and Melancholy of Harry Potter"__ which should be released sometime next month. This book, including personal interview with Mr. Potter will not exclude the crucial details Ms. Granger has left out of her own account…' _and blah… blah… blah." Harry finished reading off of a back page of _The Prophet._

"That woman's seriously loosing it! It's not like anybody even reads her column anymore." Ron said even though Hermione could sense something else lingering behind his eyes.

"And that whole thing about me trying to win Harry back is absolute rubbish! We've never even dated! We've never even _thought_ about dating! I'm dating you because I _like_ you, Ron, not to make Harry jealous!" Hermione exclaimed knowing very well what Ron's look had meant.

"Yeah. I think she's lost her touch. The story doesn't even make me angry, it just makes me want to call up St. Mungo's and tell them that they might want to reserve a space for Rita because she's about gone off her rocker." Harry said and the three of them began laughing. Harry tossed the paper to the side and told them he was going to go downstairs and help Ginny close the shop. When he was gone Hermione and Ron sat in silence for a moment.

"So..." Hermione started. Perhaps now would be the time to get him to confess his love for her.

"You can't be serious?" Ron said suddenly and for one mad second Hermione thought he had read her mind.

"Excuse me?"

"You are seriously telling me that you've never once, in the nine years we've known him, even _thought_ about dating Harry?" He asked his ears turning red and he had removed his arm from around her shoulders. Maybe tonight _wasn't _the time to get him to confess his love.

"Oh, Ron! Don't be ridiculous! You know that I've never had feelings for Harry-"

"That doesn't mean you've never thought about it! Come on, Hermione, he's one of the most famous wizards of our generation, an excellent Qudditch player, and he's not exactly disfigured! You can't be telling me that you've never had a nice little fantasy about you and him strolling along the beach, hand in hand-"

"Enough!" Hermione cried standing up and staring down at him infuriated. Little did Ron know that it was _him_ she had always dreamt about walking down a beach with, holding hands. "Sure, if you really want to know, I might have _once_ _thought _about what it would be _like_ to date Harry Potter. I was also _eleven years old_ at the time!" She shouted now in a full out rage.

"So you admit it! You've always had feelings for him and you liked him for far longer than you liked me!" Ron shouted back also standing up and glaring at her.

"You are such a moron, Ronald! I said that I _thought_ about dating Harry one time… not that I ever _liked_ him! And I was only eleven at the time! Back then dating was like holding hands and that was all! Back then _you_ didn't even like me! You went around telling everybody what an insufferable, know-it-all I was!" She shouted taking a step closer to him so that they were only inches apart and yelling in each other's face.

"Well not much has changed then! You're still an insufferable, know-it-all so why shouldn't you still be in love with Harry?" He demanded.

"I am not in love with Harry! He's my best friend!"

"So was I but you're dating me! Then again since he was dating Ginny I guess you didn't have much of a choice, did you? You had to settle for the boring sidekick, the other best friend-"

"Yes, Ron, that's exactly it! That's what I've been thinking since I was thirteen years old! 'Boy, it looks like Harry is too good for me so I should just settle with the oblivious idiot who is apparently incapable of falling in love with me!' Way to go, Ron! You've discovered my plan! Maybe I should go downstairs right now and tell it all to Harry! What do you think, Ron? Does that sound good to you?" She was furious now. She couldn't even believe that he would stoop so low as to call her a know-it-all after all these years, then to say that she didn't even love him….

"You… you're… I…" Ron obviously knew that he had been overreacting but it was far too late to take it back now.

"And while I'm at it, I think I'll go write to Victor! You remember Victor Krum don't you? He's my ex-boyfriend, isn't he? Oh yes and we still write to each other every now and again. He's very interested in what I'm up to and how my love life is going although I've told him time and time again that I wouldn't exactly call it a 'love life' considering the _boy_ I've been dating for two years can't even get up the courage to say he-"

"I'm not a _boy!_" Ron exclaimed using the only comeback he could apparently muster.

"Oh, of course you're not, Ronald. I just have to wake you up every morning, tell you what you should wear the night before, help you through most of your training, and remind you to do your chores because if I don't you'll completely forget! Yes, you're a real, grown-up, independent _man_!" She said and she could feel her face burning up.

"It's not my fault you have to be in control of everything! That's just you being bossy and a control freak!" He shouted at her, his face now livid and bright red.

"You're right, Ronald, because _nothing _is _ever_ your fault! You're simply perfect but not as good as Harry of course! He's the greatest man alive! That's why I'm more in love with him than I ever was with you! It's a shame he has a girlfriend though, so I think I'll go write to Victor instead and ask him to come to the book signing. Oh! And since Ginny will be staying with Dean and Luna that night perhaps Victor can stay the night here with us! And he can sleep in her bed… you know, the one in _my_ room. That sounds like a marvelous idea I think I'll go start that letter! Goodnight Ronald." Hermione finished in a huff and she walked out of the living room, through the kitchen, and into her own bedroom where she slammed the door shut.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Good morning, Ginny." Hermione said happily as Ginny walked towards the bathroom door.

"'Morning, Hermione." She replied stifling a yawn. She stepped into the shower allowing the hot water to wake her up a little more. When she had finished in the bathroom, she went into her bedroom to change into a pair of jeans and a red shirt. Since she ran the joke shop, she wasn't required to wear witch's robes everyday to work and she enjoyed the fact that she could wear whatever she wanted. She pulled her long, straight, red hair into two, low ponytails and examined herself in the mirror. It was the first day of June and customers didn't start pouring in until early August when kids wanted to buy products to take with them to Hogwarts. There were always a handful of customers that came in every day but nothing to hard to handle. Ginny loved working at the joke shop and was thankful that George had allowed her to help him out after Fred's death. He didn't talk about his brother's death at all but he would never let him be forgotten. In the Diagon Ally store and in the Hogsmeade shop, there was a large poster of Fred on the back wall and behind the cash register. Occasionally Fred's portrait would shout out ideas for a new product to either Ginny or George and served as a brilliant way to communicate between the two stores.

Once Ginny had finished dressing she walked over to the boy's bedroom. Ron and Hermione had already left the room and Harry still lay in his bed sound asleep. She walked over to his window and thrust open the curtains to let the now rising sun's light pour in on them. Harry, unlike Ginny, awoke immediately from this burst of light.

"Good morning, Ginny." He said and gave her a tired smile. She returned it and gave him a kiss.

"Good morning, love." She said and walked out of the room again, this time heading towards the kitchen. After setting out all of the plates and cutlery she was joined by Ron and the two set off trying to prepare breakfast for four. Hermione joined them a few minutes later and they sent the finished meal onto the table in front of her. The three of them began eating hungrily and Harry joined them soon, wearing his bathrobe but still managing to look handsome in Ginny's opinion. The group ate in silence like they always did and once they had finished and Hermione and Ron had their Morning Fight she collected the dishes and began to wash them. As she held her wand at the self-scrubbing plates she watched and said goodbye as Ron and Harry (now fully dressed in blue and green robes) Disapparated to the Ministry. After the dishes had been washed and dried and sent back to their usual places, Ginny headed downstairs to the shop below. Once she reached the bottom landing and walked through the door behind the cash register she flicked on the lights. The store was just as large and just as cramped as ever filled with items for your every want and need. She proceeded to lift the security enchantments hanging around the store, said good morning to the portrait of Fred who yawned in reply, and at exactly 7:30 she opened the front doors.

It was almost ten o'clock when she got the first costumer of the day. When he walked in she didn't get a good look at his face and just saw a mass of blonde hair. He walked around the store for ten minutes before Ginny moved from behind the desk and walked over to him. His back was to her as he examined a set of Filibusters Fireworks.

"Excuse me sir may I help you find something?" She asked him politely and the man jumped at the sound of her voice and turned abruptly revealing a very pointed chin and extremely pale skin.

"Draco Malfoy?!" She exclaimed not daring to believe her eyes. What on earth could Draco Malfoy be doing in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?

"Oh, hi." He said nervously staring at the floor instead of up at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ginny blurted out.

"I'm here on business." Draco replied straightening up and looking down at her with all of the confidence he could muster.

"What business do you have with me?" She asked him.

"Not with you, I need to talk to… to… Ms. Granger." He told her, his confident air faltering and a fleeting look of disgust crossed his face.

"Ms. Granger?" Ginny had never heard Draco call Hermione anything but 'mudblood' or 'Granger' so what was he playing at now?

"Sorry, is she Mrs. Weasley already?" He asked not bothering to hide his disgust this time.

"No, no. She's still Ms. Granger; I've just never heard _you_ refer to _Hermione_ like that. What do you want to see her for?" Ginny was very curious now and wasn't about to tell him where Hermione was until he told her what he wanted with her.

"It's not any of your business, is it?" Draco snapped at her.

"I think it is my business and I'm not telling you where she is until you tell me what you want!" She said. Living with six brothers had toughened her up greatly and she learned not to take 'no' for an answer.

"Well if you_ must_ know-"

"Oh, I must." Ginny interrupted and he gave her an annoyed glare.

"I've been sent to ask Ms. Granger if she is available for a book signing the day her book goes on sale at Flourish and Blotts. I work there, you see, and I've been sent here to ask if she will attend along with … Mr. _Potter_ and _Mr._ Weasley." He finished and it seemed that with every word spoken it became harder and harder for him to keep his face straight. Ginny looked him up and down and decided that he was telling the truth (she had always been really good at judging that kind of thing).

"Alright. Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley will all be available to attend this book signing." Ginny told him using her politest, most business-like tone.

"Thank you. Here's a letter that will tell them all of the details like what time to show up and what time to leave. If they have any questions feel _free_ to contact me at the store and I would be _happy_ to answer them." He said and now he was speaking through gritted teeth.

"We sure will. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. Now, if that's all…?" She inquired, taking the letter he had handed her.

"Yes. Goodbye." He said and headed for the door as quickly as possible.

Ginny spent the next few hours reviewing this encounter in her head. She was unsure if she should tell Harry that Draco Malfoy had stopped by the shop or if she should lie and tell him that the owner of Flourish and Blotts himself had stopped by. She was still undecided when eleven o'clock rolled around and Neville arrived. She was quite glad to have someone to talk to in order to get her mind off of it.

"Hello Neville!" She said brightly as he rushed over to where she stood.

"Guess what?" Neville said excitedly.

"You've been elected Minister of Magic?" Ginny guessed and Neville blushed and shook his head.

"No, no. Like that could ever happen!" He said. "I've got a job interning with Professor Sprout this year at Hogwarts! She wrote me a letter telling me that she wouldn't mind having some extra help around since all of the teachers are still working so hard to rebuild the castle! Isn't that great?" He asked taking a hold of her hands and practically jumping for joy.

"Oh Neville! That's wonderful! Congratulations!" Ginny cheered and she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I told Hannah and she was really excited about it." Neville said and his cheeks turned a brilliant shade of pink. His recent girlfriend, Hannah Abbot, had just recently asked Neville to move in with her and he had accepted gladly. The two were an odd couple yet surprisingly perfect for one another. Neville had been working at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for a few weeks already, helping Ginny prepare for the onslaught that was sure to occur when August came around.

"Well, you can go get to work and I'm going to head out to lunch, alright?" Ginny asked and Neville nodded vigorously.

"Don't forget to tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione about it incase I don't see them today!" Neville called after her as she exited the shop.

"Hello, love."

Ginny screamed when she heard the voice speak so close to her ear as she left the shop. She turned quickly, almost loosing her footing, to see Harry laughing at her and taking off the Invisibility Cloak.

"That was _not_ funny, Harry! You don't use that stupid thing to scare people like that especially not your girlfriend!" Ginny scolded in a very Hermione-ish way and gave him a punch in the shoulder.

"Ouch! Sorry, but it was pretty funny." He said with a broad grin that she couldn't help but return.

"What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be at work?" She asked as he took her hand in his own and the two began walking down the street.

"I took an early lunch break. Besides, all I'm doing today is reviewing what I've learned over the last few years. It's all quite easy." Harry told her and they turned into the Leaky Cauldron.

"But Ron and Hermione have been complaining about how hard it is for days!" Ginny said as the two took a seat at a table towards the back.

"Yeah, I know, but they're just taking it too seriously. Actually, let me rephrase that, _Hermione_ is taking it way too seriously and therefore she has convinced Ron that he should too." Harry said and Ginny giggled.

"I honestly think Ron would wear a dress everyday if Hermione told him it was the right thing to do and that she would like it." She said and it was Harry's turn to giggle.

"He's a man in love! We all do crazy things." He said and leaned forward to give Ginny a kiss. She smiled at him as he moved back into his seat and briefly left to go grab two butterbeers and two soups.

"Thank you." She said as he placed the soup and butterbeer in front of her.

"You're welcome. So did anything exciting happen at the store today?" He asked as he began to sip his soup. Ginny paused for a moment before deciding on how to answer him.

"Yes, actually, Flourish and Blotts wants you, Ron, and Hermione to do a book signing next week when Hermione's book goes on sale." She said casually.

"Really? That's… odd. It'll be a good opportunity for Hermione though. She'll get to show everybody that she's not some 'heartless and overbearing author who-'"

"Who the hell said that?" Ginny demanded outraged by this comment.

"Rita Skeeter. She had a column in the _Prophet_ today trying to discredit Hermione's book and advertise her own." He told her.

"She's writing a book about the war too?" Ginny asked cringing at the thought.

"Oh no. She's writing a book about me. It's something insane like '_The Madness, Malice, and Murky-ness of Harry Potter'._" He said and Ginny laughed at him.

"Yes, Mr. Potter, you are quite the murky one." She joked.

"I try my hardest to live up to her expectations." Harry said and the two of them laughed for a while. Ginny proceeded to hand Harry the letter from the Flourish and Blotts owner and tell him all about Neville's internship with Professor Sprout.

"You know, I was thinking about where I want to live-" Harry started suddenly.

"You've already got a flat." Ginny reminded him.

"Yes, I know that. I'm just saying, I was thinking about where I want to live _after _I leave the flat. Not that I'm planning on leaving anytime soon!" He said catching her confused gaze. "But I do have to leave eventually. We can't live there all of our lives." He finished.

"That's true. So where would you want to live?"

"I was thinking somewhere along the sea, some place like Shell Cottage, where you can hear the ocean all day and smell the sea breeze." He confessed.

"I know what you mean. Whenever I leave I want to live somewhere near the sea as well. I don't want to live in a house like the Burrow either. I want a big house with plenty of room and no chickens." Ginny explained and Harry seemed to be paying very close attention to her answer.

"But do you want a big family like you had?" He asked and he seemed to be forcing the casualness into his voice as he stared down at his almost empty bowl of soup.

"I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be able to pop them out as much as Mum did but I do want a big family. I think four kids would be nice." She explained noting his attentiveness.

"I totally agree. A bigger family would be nice. I know I would want to have one since I never got to grow up with any brothers and sisters… just a Dudley." Harry said laughing louder than he usually would.

"Yes but I think Dudley counts as at least three people." Ginny said and he let out another unnaturally loud laugh.

"That's true…. True…" He said and went back to staring at his soup bowl.

"Harry, is there something wrong?" Ginny asked him after a long moment of silence.

"No! Nothing's wrong! Listen, I have to go but I'll see you back at the house. I love you." He said hurriedly and placing some gold on the table, gave her a kiss and left the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny stared after him for a moment longer before shrugging and returning to the shop. The rest of the day went by without much excitement and Ginny couldn't stop thinking about Harry's odd behavior at lunch. She was just beginning to fantasize the home Harry and she would live in with their four children when Harry entered the shop at around 6.

"Good evening sir, what can I do for you?" She asked but then noticed that Ron had entered behind Harry and all thoughts of a romantic interlude were dashed from her mind.

"We're just passing through today, ma'am but look what we've got here!" Harry replied and kissing her as he held up a lumpy package in his hands.

"What's that supposed to be?" Ginny asked.

"It's Hermione's book. Dean just gave us the finished copy, complete with his illustrations. Hermione's going to love it!" Ron said with a large grin.

"Don't tell we have it though, Gin. We want to surprise her." Harry said and Ginny nodded.

"You're secret's safe with me. You'd better hurry up and get upstairs though before she gets here!" She reminded them and they nodded before heading up the staircase. A gawky teenage boy came up to the register and handed Ginny a box of puking pastilles for her to ring up. As she began to do so, however, Hermione entered the shop.

"Hey Ginny!" Hermione called from the doorway, making her way towards the register.

"Hey Hermione! Harry and Ron are already upstairs and I think they have a surprise for you." Ginny said and gave Hermione a wink. Hermione looked confused for a moment but then smiled and rushed up the stairs where the boys had been moments before. The gawky boy ended up being the last customer of the evening and around seven o'clock Harry came back down the stairs.

"I thought I'd help you close the shop." He told her and she smiled up at him.

"That's very considerate of you. But I could have sworn that the only time you ever helped me close the shop was when Ron and Hermione started fighting." Ginny said slyly as she moved towards the front door and tapping it with her wand, locked it.

"Well they aren't fighting now." Harry told her but just as he spoke they could hear raised voices coming from upstairs. Ginny turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow accusingly. "Well they weren't fighting when I left them." He said defensively and she laughed. The two proceeded to cast the usual defensive charms around the store. The yelling from upstairs had reached its peak now and Harry and Ginny were trying their hardest not to listen in.

"We should probably head up there soon. They've just hit they're peak and Hermione should walk out on him soon." Harry predicted. He had put up with nine years of their fighting and had become quite good at predicting the outcomes. Ginny nodded but before they went up the stairs she turned to look at the poster of Fred on the wall. He had just re-entered the portrait and looked at Harry and Ginny with a large smile.

"I was hoping I would catch you two before you went up! I was just stopping in to say goodnight. That and George wants you to know that he'll be stopping by the book signing next week with Lee." Fred's portrait told them.

"How does George know about the signing already?" Ginny asked.

"I wrote to him and invited him to come down." Harry explained and Ginny nodded.

"Well, goodnight Fred. Ron and Hermione are finishing up their argument so we'd better get up there to console them." Ginny said and Fred laughed.

"Oh, the loving couple." He swooned. "Goodnight Harry." He added and Harry said goodnight back before the two of them headed upstairs and Fred left his portrait and headed towards his painting in Hogsmeade.

When Harry and Ginny reached the top landing they could hear the end of the fight drawing near.

"It's not my fault you have to be in control of everything!" Ron was shouting. "That's just you being bossy and a control freak!" Harry was shaking his head at Ron's stupidity. How could he not realize that insulting Hermione _never_ ended well for him?

"You're right, Ronald, because _nothing _is _ever_ your fault!" Hermione screeched and Ginny heaved a sigh. She had heard that line too many times to count. "You're simply perfect but not as good as Harry of course! He's the greatest man alive! That's why I'm more in love with him than I ever was with you!" At this line Harry and Ginny stared at each other and then back at the closed door.

"It's a shame he has a girlfriend though, so I think I'll go write to Victor instead and ask him to come to the book signing. Oh! And since Ginny will be staying with Dean and Luna that night perhaps Victor can stay the night here with us! And he can sleep in her bed… you know, the one in _my_ room. That sounds like a marvelous idea I think I'll go start that letter! Goodnight Ronald." She shouted and Harry heard her stomping out of the room. He raised his eyebrows at Ginny and she nodded. He tapped the doorknob with his wand and whispered the password. When the pair entered the apartment they found Ron standing in the middle of the living room looking utterly bewildered.

"I'll take him, you take her." Harry muttered and Ginny nodded. She said goodnight to the two boys and walked into her and Hermione's bedroom. She opened the door quietly and shut it without making a sound. Hermione's back was to her as she sat on her bed but Ginny could tell that she was crying.

"Hermione…" Ginny started moving towards her but Hermione suddenly straightened up and brushed away the tears from her face.

"I'm fine." She said in an unnaturally high voice.

"Hermione, we heard you and Ron fighting. Please don't pay any attention to him! He's a complete git!" Ginny said sitting down next to her on the bed and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, I know but that doesn't give him any excuse to call me names like that!" She said fiercely.

"Of course it doesn't." Ginny agreed.

"But he sits there and accuses _me_ of being in love with _Harry_! And I know that he's just jealous of Harry but why does he have to take it out on me? He should know that I love him by now! He won't tell me that he loves me though, oh no, because that would make too much sense! He's completely oblivious to everything!" Hermione ranted, jumping up and beginning to pace around the room.

"You're telling this to the girl who has lived with him for eighteen years."

"Did you know that I've been dreaming about him going the next step for almost a month now?" Hermione demanded, flinging her arms out.

"Um… I don't think I'm the right person to talk about _those_ kinds of things with, Hermione. He is my brother after all." Ginny reminded cringing a little at the very thought of her brother going "the next step".

"Oh God! Not _that _next step! We've been dating for two years Ginny; we've passed that one already. I meant that I've been having dreams of him asking me to marry him!" She exclaimed finally collapsing back onto the bed.

"Really? That's so wonderful!" Ginny said trying to ignore the fact that Hermione and Ron had gone that next step already but the look in Hermione's eyes said differently.

"How is he ever going to propose when he can't even say that he loves me?" Hermione asked and another tear ran down her cheek.

"Hermione, don't cry… it's not worth it. We all know Ron loves you. He's just… dumb and that's all there is to it. Someday he'll figure out that he can't keep those feelings inside anymore and he'll let you know when he's ready." Ginny said and secretly took pride in herself for giving such good advice.

"Those blokes… they don't know what they're doing half of the time! Today at lunch Harry started asking about how many kids I wanted and where I wanted to live and he is still _completely_ unaware that I want to have kids with _him_ and live in a house by the sea with _him_. Ron and Harry were cut from the same cloth. They're oblivious, helpless, handsome, and worst of all… men."

--

**Reviews are loved.**

**3**


	2. Those Blokes

**TITLE:**

"**Birds, Blokes, and Invisibility Cloaks"**

**AUTHOR:**

**Anna ((XoWiCkEdOnEoX))**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**Nothing's changed. I still own nothing. Sweet.**

**NOTE:**

**I'm sorry if the way Victor Krum talks is not true to the books… I'm not all that great at it so, please, forgive me.**

"_The course of true love never did run smooth." – William Shakespeare_

CHAPTER TWO: THOSE BLOKES

It was night time and Ron and Hermione were walking towards the tent they had set up for the Qudditch World Cup. England had just won the Cup over Bulgaria and Victor Krum had broken his nose again by a Bludger. Ron was holding Hermione's hand as they talked animatedly about the match. He was telling her about all the highlights and she listened quite intently.

"Ron, you are so smart. I never really understood Qudditch like you did." She said, fondly gazing up at him. Ron just shrugged but couldn't resist smiling down at her. They didn't have to walk far until they reached their tent. Harry and Ginny had gotten their own tent with separate bedrooms while Ron and Hermione were sharing a bed in their own. Once they returned Ron made a fabulous dinner and the two of them ate quickly, taking breaks when Hermione praised him for his skills. When they had finished Ron took her hand and they walked out of the tent and lay down in the grass, gazing up at the stars.

"The stars look beautiful tonight, don't you think?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, but do you know what's even more beautiful than that?" Ron asked her, flipping onto his side to look at her. She turned her head to face him and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" She asked but Ron didn't answer. Instead he leaned over and began kissing her. When he finally split apart from her to breathe he looked deeply into her eyes.

"You." He whispered and she then pulled him by the collar until they were both back inside the tent. When they had reentered Hermione began to kiss him more aggressively. Her hands roamed over his chest and back and his rested firmly on her waist. She pressed her body against his and they walked over to the bed…

An hour later the two lay comfortably underneath the covers, Hermione in her underwear and bra (which she had just retrieved from the floor) and Ron just in his boxers (that he had retrieved from on top of the dresser). Ron's arms were around her small body and she was running her fingers along his bare back.

"'Mione," He said and she giggled at the use of this nickname. "I love you."

Hermione looked up at him and smiled. Then, she kissed him softly on the lips.

"Oh Ron," She started, this time running her fingers through his hair. "I love Harry."

The tent had melted away now and Ron was standing in the clearing of a forest. Snow was on the ground and he was aching because his body and clothes were drenched in cold water. He held a sword at his side and watched as a distorted, terrible version of Hermione placed her lips on an equally distorted Harry. Her voice was echoing through his mind.

"I love Harry. I love Harry. I love Harry."

Then, he was running away. He was running into the forest and away from the tent. Hermione was chasing after him, sobbing and crying out his name.

"Ron! Ron, come back! Ron! Please! Please don't leave!" She cried but he couldn't take that sound anymore. He couldn't bear to hear her crying.

"Ron! Ron! Ron!"

Ron Weasley sat upright in his bed. Something wasn't right here. The sun was shining brightly through his window and the curtains were wide open. He listened for a moment but heard nothing. He looked over at the clock and felt his stomach flip.

8:45.

He was supposed to be at Flourish and Blotts by 8:30. He jumped out of the bed and ran to his closet. He was lucky; he had taken a shower the night before after Hermione "accidentally" poured gravy down his front. His stomach flipped over again.

It was Hermione's fault. She had said that she would wake him up like she normally did. His ears were burning now as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a dark blue button up shirt. He dashed from the room and ran out of the flat. When he exited the shop he saw Neville standing there with Ginny.

"Thanks for waking me up, Gin!" He yelled as he ran past her.

"I left before everybody else was awake." Ginny said calmly as he slammed the door shut behind him and headed down the street. The only good thing was that the book signing didn't even start until 9:00 so he hadn't exactly missed anything. As he ran into the shop he saw Harry standing behind a long table where a bunch of books were stacked.

"Hey, Ron! What are you doing here? Hermione told us that you weren't feeling well." Harry said as Ron approached him.

"WHAT?" Ron yelled and a few customers looked around at him alarmed. He made a rude hand gesture and Harry pulled him into a back room where they found Hermione talking to a blonde man with a pointed face. Her hair was smooth and straight, pulled into a high ponytail. She wore a nice white quarter-sleeve shirt with a knee-length black skirt. She looked very pretty indeed but the man talking barely seemed to notice.

"Right, well that's all you need to know I suppose. If you need any assistance I'll be around. Bye." The man said moodily and exited the room. Hermione turned to look at Ron and her eyes widened.

"Didn't think I'd show up, did you?" He spat and she looked down at the ground. "Didn't bother telling any one else that you weren't planning on waking me up either. You lied to everybody and said that I was sick! You poured the gravy that _I_ made for you all down my shirt last night and to top it off, I've tried apologizing to you every second I get and you still won't forgive me! Was that _Malfoy_?" Ron ranted and finally turned to stare at Harry.

"Yes, he works here." Harry muttered. Ron turned his attention back to Hermione who was crying.

"What the bloody hell are you crying for? You're the one who's been lying and making _me_ late! You're the one who's got the upper hand in this fight because I am actually admitting that I'm wrong! Do you think I would even bother trying to beg for your forgiveness if I didn't-" He stopped dead and faltered for words. Hermione looked up at him and almost looked hopeful.

"If you didn't what?" She asked with a sniffle.

"If I didn't like you a whole lot! You're my girlfriend for crying out loud! You're supposed to forgive me when I do stupid things!" Ron shouted.

"Well you do an awful _lot_ of stupid things!" Hermione shouted right back, wiping her tears away quickly.

"What are you saying? You don't want to be my girlfriend any more?" He yelled and he felt his heart racing, banging against his chest.

"Yes! I do not want to be your girlfriend anymore! This relationship is over for good!" She shouted, flinging her arms out.

"Fine then!" He yelled his voice cracking.

"Fine!" She repeated and finally stamped out of the room.

There was a moment of silence before Ron turned to stare at Harry who looked quite bewildered. When they both finally came to their senses Harry gave Ron a 'There's-Nothing-You-Can-Do-About-it-Now' Look and the two walked out of the back room. Draco Malfoy was standing in front of the long tables piled with books, where Hermione sat smiling a little too brightly. A long line had formed and Ron could see it stretched all the way outside the door. Not even this burst of popularity could cheer him up though. He had let it happen again! This was third time they had broken up in five months. How was he ever supposed to settle down with Hermione for good, let alone tell her that he loved her, if they couldn't even date for a solid five months?

He glanced over at where Hermione sat at the end of the table. He had wanted to tell her how much he loved her for a long time now but it never seemed like the right moment. He had messed up so many other romantic situations with her and he wanted this one to be special. To him, saying "I love you" was a big deal. He had never loved any one like this before. Hermione was special, and he had known that from the very first time he had met her. For years he had been so completely oblivious to everything about her and when he had finally figured it all out… she found Krum.

That was it! Krum! Victor would be coming to the book signing and Hermione expected Ron to get jealous and be rude like he usually was.

"_Not this time, though!" _Ron thought to himself. "_I'll show her! I'll be extra polite to Krum, play nice and all that. Then we'll see who the bigger person is. When she sees me being friendly with dear __Vicky__ she'll have to forgive me!" _Ron could have laughed at the brilliance of his plan but he thought it would probably be a bad idea. Malfoy had called for silence in the crowded shop now and all eyes were on him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the book signing will now begin. Please stay in a proper line and Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Ms. Granger will sign your books accordingly then you may move to the front register to purchase your copy of _'Harry Potter and the Dark Lord: The Journey for the Horcruxes and the Battle of Hogwarts'_. Thank you." He said dryly before moving towards the front register and allowing the procession to begin. The people went to Ron first, then Harry, and finally Hermione who they seemed most anxious to meet.

"Is it true that you saved Harry Potter from a freezing lake?"

"Are you really a Parselmouth?"

"Did you really use fangs from a Basilisk to destroy Helga Hufflepuff's cup?"

"Are you two actually dating?" This last question was directed at Hermione and Ron. All three of them looked up suddenly and stared at the teenage girl who had asked the question.

"No, we aren't anymore." Hermione said simply and the girl nodded, then turned to smile at Ron. Hermione glared at the girl and then at Ron who had resisted the urge to smile back. He just nodded at her and she walked away giggling.

"I have to say that's a shocker." A tall, broad-shouldered man said as he approached the table. His dark, curly hair fell around his boyish face in a very handsome fashion. He looked over Hermione with eyes as dark as his hair and he blinked his long, dark, eyelashes. Ron recognized him as Kyle Barclay, an Auror who had always fancied Hermione. Kyle had always kept his distance while the two were dating but Ron had watched how, when ever he and Hermione broke up, Kyle was the first to ask Hermione on a date. She had always rejected him, probably because she knew that none of their break ups were that serious but Ron had a bad feeling about this one as Hermione fluttered her equally long eyelashes back at him.

"Hello Kyle! It's lovely to see you here." Hermione said in a sickly sweet voice that made Ron want to gag.

"I couldn't very well miss this, 'Mione!" He said with a laugh and Hermione giggled at the sound of this nickname. Ron felt his ears burning as well as the rest of his face. Hermione had never let_ him_ call her "Mione" before no matter how much he begged her! She always told him that she hated nicknames and never wanted one. Ron accidentally spilled his ink while dipping his quill into it rather forcefully. Harry looked over and shot him a warning look.

"Look, 'Mione, I know its short notice but I was wondering if you were busy this Friday night? Perhaps you and I can get together for a nice dinner and… talk." Kyle inquired flashing Hermione a winning smile. She gave him another offensive giggle before her cheeks burned red.

"You're right. It is short notice, Kyle." Her eyes flashed in Ron's direction. "But I'm _sure_ we can figure out something. Perhaps we can get together next Friday instead. I'll get back to you at work tomorrow." Kyle smiled brightly before saying goodbye and walking out of the shop. Ron was glaring at Hermione from across the table but she wouldn't look at him. She continued to have polite conversations with the customers while she signed their books while Ron just murmured "hello's" and "goodbye's" to everyone.

It was almost eleven when Victor Krum made his way to the front of the line. He looked down at Ron and offered him a cautious smile that Ron returned ten fold. He looked down at Ron and raised a thick eyebrow before speaking.

"Hello. You are Von, aren't you?" He asked still being careful incase this was some sort of trap.

"Yes. It's good to see you again Krum. How have you been? I see you're still doing well with Qudditch." Ron said and fought back the urge to strike at Krum when he glanced over at Hermione.

"I've been vell. And thank you, Qudditch is getting harder and harder as I get older but it's impossible to give up." Victor said and Ron nodded as he signed the book.

"I know what you mean. Harry and I still have a go every now and again." Ron told him as Victor moved a few inches to where Harry sat and had him sign the book.

"Hello Harry. It's nice to see you again, too." He said and Harry nodded.

"Same here, Krum." Harry said as he passed the book down to Hermione who took it and then squealed happily at the sight of Victor.

"Oh Victor! I'm so glad you could make it! I was worried you would be too busy playing _professional_ Qudditch." Hermione said loud enough for Ron (and probably everyone else in the store) to hear. Victor just nodded looking even more confused than usual. He shot Harry a pleading look before returning to look at Hermione's smiling face.

"I couldn't miss this. I'm very impressed. I'm can't vait to read it." He said and Hermione gave another obnoxious giggle which even Victor looked slightly repulsed by.

"Why, Victor! Thank you so much. Are you going to stay around with us until we've finished or do you plan on walking around Diagon Ally?" She asked him apparently oblivious to his repulsion.

"I'm going to valk around the street till you're done. I think I'll see the joke shop. I've heard it's great." Victor told her and she nodded so enthusiastically Ron expected her head to pop off.

"It is great. My brothers founded it, and now my sister helps run it. She's in charge of the store here in Diagon Ally." Ron said matching Hermione's enthusiasm. She finally turned to him and Ron was a little frightened by her look. She was angrier than he'd ever seen her.

"Oh, I see. That is very nice. Vas your sister a bridesmaid at the vedding?" Krum asked and Harry adjusted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yes. I'm her boyfriend." Harry said quickly and Ron, Victor, and Hermione all looked at him bemused. Harry merely shrugged and continued to sign the book in front of him.

"Vell you are a lucky man. I vill see you all later. When does this end, exactly?" Victor asked Hermione.

"Around four o'clock, Victor." She said and blinked a bunch of times so her eyelashes fluttered a bit. Ron couldn't help but roll his eyes and snort at this. Hermione never did realize that she was about as hopeless at flirting as he and Harry were. She also didn't realize that she didn't need to flirt because she was already so damn beautiful. Victor nodded and walked out of the shop again with one last glance at Hermione and then Ron. He was shocked by this gesture but tried his best not to show it.

A couple more hours went by but nothing too exciting happened. They saw a few people they recognized, including Kingsley. There was a large uproar at the sight of the Minister of Magic himself and people were rushing over to him and shaking his hands. His visit had been brief and he got their signatures, congratulated them on the book, and wished them good luck on finishing their Auror training. George, Lee, Charlie, Percy, Bill, and Fleur also stopped by for a quick conversation.

At a quarter to three Luna, Dean, and Ginny arrived. Ginny had a rucksack slung across her back and Luna and Dean were holding hands. Luna was beaming at the sight of them and as she rushed over to them Ron saw Harry beaming back.

"Hello." Luna's dreamy voice reached them before she did. Ginny bent over the table and kissed Harry on the lips. Ron looked away at this and instead focused on the group of teenage girls who had seen the kiss and were no cringing and shooting evil glares at Ginny.

"Hey!" Dean said and shook all of their hands.

"Dean! Thank you so much for the illustrations! You should be here signing books too!" Hermione said happily.

"Oh, it was nothing. You guys saved my life. It was the least I could do." He shrugged and Luna turned and beamed at him.

"Yeah, you really did do an awesome job." Ron agreed but Hermione didn't look at him.

"Thanks mate. Look, we can't stay long because of this mad line but we just wanted to stop by and say hello. We'll come by tomorrow morning before we take off." Dean said.

"Take off for where?" Harry asked and Luna looked at him, eyes wider than ever.

"We're going to Scotland! They've been having awful trouble with a herd of Nickelbunglers living in a big lake over there. The Muggles have been reporting sightings of it for years now and Ministry workers have to stop by and cast some Confundus Charms. The Muggles think there's only one but I believe there are more than 50 at the very least." She explained happily.

"Do you mean the Loch Ness Monster?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh yes, that's what the Muggles there call it. It's an ancient species, the Nickelbunglers. They turn invisible at will and live for thousands of years. Fascinating creatures, really. Dean and I are just dropping by to say 'hello' to the herd and study them. We're writing an article about them for the Quibbler for Daddy to publish." She told them and Ron tried to suppress a laugh. Luna might be weird and interested in things that didn't exist but she was definitely one of the most determined people he had ever met.

"Well, we'd better get going. See you all tomorrow morning." Ginny said and bent down to kiss Harry again. Ron looked over and saw the group of girls giggling. Apparently they had moved on from Harry to him. Ron resisted the urge to toss his hair back and just shook his head and stole a quick glance in Hermione's direction. She was staring daggers at the group of giggling girls but was pretending not to notice Ron at all. Ginny, Luna, and Dean exited the store with three new, signed copies of Hermione's book and more than an hour later the crowd had completely died off.

"Alright. It's done now so you can all leave. Thank you for coming. Goodbye." Draco said shortly before walking into a back room and away from the trio.

"Pleasant chap." Ron said and Harry laughed.

"Listen, I'm going take these books to your Mum and Dad's house. I'll meet you back at the flat." Harry told Ron.

"Why don't you just let me take them?" Ron asked.

"Do you want to leave Hermione and Victor alone together?" Harry asked him and Ron's eyes widened.

"Get going then." He said to Harry and he laughed before Disapparating from the store. Ron looked over to see Hermione already exiting the store where Victor Krum stood just outside the doors. He quickly ran over to them and startled Victor and had Hermione throw him another rotten look.

"What are you doing?" She snapped but he just smiled at her.

"I'm going home, Hermione. I am going to cook dinner for you and our guest." He said and tried not to laugh as her face turned bright red with anger.

"You cook?" Victor asked him before Hermione could say another word.

"Yeah, my sister and I always take care of the food at the flat cause our Mum was a great cook and I guess we inherited her skills." Ron explained and Victor nodded. "Shall we go then?" He asked in his most polite voice that he knew Hermione would have loved any other day but this one.

He led the way down the street but made sure not to walk too far ahead of Hermione and Krum so that they couldn't have any moments alone. When they reached the shop they found Neville working there and after saying a brief "hello" they continued to walk up the stairs.

They entered the flat in silence and Hermione and Krum both went and sat down on the couch.

"Well, I guess you can go ahead and make dinner, Ron!" Hermione said smirking. If he made dinner that meant he had to stay in the kitchen and not with them.

"Oh… right… I'll just be a few minutes." He said and hurried off to the kitchen. He made sure that the door was wide open and bustled through the small room all the while keeping an eye on Victor and Hermione in the sitting room. They were talking now and Victor seemed to be very interested in what Hermione was saying but he rarely said anything back to her. Ron wondered whether he looked that intent and handsome when Hermione spoke to him and if the fact that he constantly responded to her was a bad thing. He finished sorting out all of the foods, made them start to cook themselves, and headed out to where the other two were. He took a seat in an armchair and listened as Hermione told Krum all about her plans for SPEW.

"Once I'm an Auror it will be a lot easier to pass on ideas like SPEW through the Ministry. It's improved so much since Kingsley's been Minister! You just wouldn't believe the difference…" She went on and on about the Ministry and SPEW and Auror training for another hour until dinner was served, she talked throughout their meal, and then a couple hours after that as the three sat in front of the fireplace. Ron had not tried to interject or express his opinions in the matters she brought up because he knew it would make matters worse. Not to mention the fact that Hermione seemed to enjoy Victor's silent company.

At half past ten Hermione stood up and stretched.

"Here, Victor, let me show you to your bed. It's in-"

"It's in my room, I hope you don't mind." Ron cut Hermione short and she looked at him in shock instead of anger. "You can have my bed. I'll sleep out here on the couch." He explained exchanging a meaningful look with Hermione. He realized that she didn't want him in the bedroom with her but he didn't like the idea of Krum in there either so he had come up with this solution while Hermione had been talking.

"That's sounds good to me." Victor said and Hermione made an odd choking sound before clearing her throat.

"I'm going to bed then. I'll see you both in the morning." She said a little shrilly before marching towards her room. Before she could completely exit the room, however, Ron followed her and pulled her aside in the hallway leading to the bedroom.

"Let go of me." She whispered fiercely so Victor couldn't hear.

"Not until you let me talk." Ron whispered back. He had to know what was bothering her so much.

"I've heard all of your apologies but it's over, Ron! We're done!" Her attempts to throw his arm off of her were getting rather frantic and Ron could tell that she was a few moments away from breaking down in to tears.

"Well you can hear them again then! I'm sorry I called you those names Hermione and I'm sorry for what I said. You just don't understand what it's like for me-"

"Yes, I bet living in a beautiful flat, having a steady job, and a girlfriend that does basically everything for you is incredibly difficult!" Hermione interrupted and he pushed the rude retort he had to the back of his mind.

"I don't mean that! I mean with you and Harry!" He told her and she stopped struggling to be released.

"Me and Harry? Ron there is nothing going on! Why can't you just let it go?" She sighed heavily.

"Look, do me a favor and read the book." Ron told her simply. He knew that if she read that book, the part he had written about the Horcrux, she would finally understand.

"Ron I don't need to read the book! I wrote it!"

"You didn't write the whole thing, though. Read the chapter I wrote about the Horcrux. It'll explain things a lot better. Just… read it." Ron said and finally let go of her arm. She stared up at him for a moment before turning from him and going in her room. It was Ron's turn to sigh heavily as he dragged his feet back to the sitting room where Krum was staring moodily in to the fire.

"Hello!" Harry had entered the flat again and looked unbelievably chipper.

"Hi."

"Hello, Harry." Victor said, standing up and shaking his hand.

"What are you two up to?" He asked and suddenly looked at Ron with an alarmed expression as Victor took his seat on the couch again.

"Talking. Hermione's just gone to bed." Ron answered moodily.

"You're still not together?" Harry asked and Ron nodded.

"You two are not dating anymore?" He asked but his voice was even and he didn't seem at all excited like Kyle had been.

"No. She broke up with me this morning. It's not the first time though. It's the third time in five months." Ron explained and Victor nodded but did not look back up at him.

"Is that vhy she invited me to the signing? She vanted to make you jealous?" Krum asked, but once again did not seem all that interested in hearing the answer.

"I guess so." Harry replied, taking a seat in his armchair.

"Her efforts seem vorthless though. You are not falling for them this time?" Krum asked and looked up at Ron who was still standing next to him.

"No. I know what she's trying to do and I won't let it bother me. Besides, you don't seem to be falling for it either." Ron said and looked down at Krum suspiciously.

"That is because I have a girlfriend back in Bulgaria. I planned on telling Her-my-own-ninny about it vhen I got here but I have not been able to speak very much." Krum said and Ron couldn't help but laugh a little at this.

"Yeah, well, with Hermione you kind of have to interrupt her and shout at her before she gets the point that you want to talk." He said and it was Victor and Harry who laughed. Ron's mood seemed ten times brighter now that he knew Krum already had a girlfriend and that Hermione's flirtations were getting her nowhere.

"I have noticed. She likes it better vhen you talk vith her though. She has told me before that is vhy she likes you two so much. You two talk to her often. I'm afraid I vas never a very conversational person." Krum confessed and they nodded.

"I always thought that she liked you more than Harry and I because you let her do all the talking." Ron said and Krum laughed a little more heartedly at this.

"I guess ve've both just had the vong impression of each other this vole time." Krum said and for the very first time, Ron was glad that he was there.

"It's funny how we both ended up involved with the same bird, though." Ron commented.

"Yes. But you have von her in the end, haven't you?" Krum said.

"I did. We've broken up, though, remember?" Ron reminded and felt his heart sink a little at this.

"You vill get back together soon. I have a feeling. Her-my-own-ninny voves you after all." Krum said and Ron felt his heart fly into his throat.

"What?" He asked his voice an octave above normal.

"Her-my-own-ninny voves you. She has told me a few times in her letters. She says that she voves you deeply but fears that you do not feel the same because you have not said 'I vove you' to her." Krum explained and Ron's ears burned.

"I told you so." Harry muttered but Ron ignored him.

"I… I thought… I thought she wanted me to wait before I said 'I vove you' – I mean 'I love you'." Ron said more to himself than to Victor.

"That's women for you."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Harry, get up! We've got to be at Flourish and Blotts in five minutes!" Hermione whispered fiercely in his ear. Harry opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room. He had taken a day off of work so Ginny could not give him his usual morning wake up because she had already gone down stairs to open the store. Harry threw his covers off and rushed over to the wardrobe but before he reached it he noticed Ron still sleeping in his own bed.

"Aren't you going to wake up Ron?" He asked Hermione but she just shrugged and shook her head.

"He's not feeling well." Was all she said before exiting the room. Harry looked over at Ron again to see him writhing a little in his sheets, sweating, and having what Harry could only guess was a bad dream. He turned away again and pulled on jeans and a nice dark red shirt before walking out of the bedroom. Hermione tossed a piece of toast at him which he caught successfully.

"Let's go!" She said and the pair left the apartment and rushed down the stairs.

"Tell me again why you didn't wake me up earlier?" Harry said a little annoyed by having to rush and only giving Ginny a swift kiss before leaving the building.

"I figured you would want to sleep in but then I accidentally slept in too!" She explained and the two rushed down the street and entered the shop five minutes later.

"You're late."

Harry's eyes grew wide when he saw the person who had spoken.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He blurted out and Draco Malfoy sighed deeply.

"You're little girlfriend said the same thing when I delivered the letter. I suppose she forgot to mention that it was _I _who gave it to her. She probably thought you wouldn't show up if you knew I was in charge of the signing." Malfoy said and Harry could tell that he was trying his hardest not to sneer.

"Right." Harry said awkwardly and the three of them looked at each other for a moment.

"There's a room in the back where you can stay before the signing starts. There's butterbeer and other refreshments for you." Malfoy told them and lead them past a long table covered in deep purple books with green writing on them.

The room behind the table was filled with even more books; these ones were in better condition than the ones of the shelves outside and were obviously new. Harry looked over expecting to find Hermione gazing over the books and examining them more closely but was surprised to find her looking down at her feet. Malfoy walked into the room and approached Hermione.

"There's some stuff that I have to tell you before the signing starts. First off, there will be lots of people around and you can't carry on any personal conversations if one of your friends stops in because the other people in line will come complaining to me and I don't feel like dealing with them…" Harry rolled his eyes and walked out of the room and went to examine Hermione's books on the long table. There were long golden quills resting there along with black ink bottles. As Harry grazed the feathers on the golden quill he heard the door to the shop fly open and a tall, long-nosed, red head came flying through the shop. Harry raised his eyebrows as the angry looking young man approached him and met him behind the table.

"Hey, Ron! What are you doing here? Hermione told us that you weren't feeling well." Harry said and Ron's eyebrows flew up into his hair and his face turned bright red.

"WHAT?" He yelled and the people around them looked over to the pair in alarm. Ron made a rude hand gesture and Harry grabbed his arm and dragged him into the back room where Draco was finishing up his instructions with Hermione.

"Right, well that's all you need to know I suppose. If you need any assistance I'll be around. Bye." Draco said looking more and more uncomfortable with each word. He nodded and left the room, careful not to make eye contact with either Ron or Harry. Hermione had looked up now and was staring wide-eyed at Ron.

"Didn't think I'd show up, did you?" Ron spat at her and she returned her gaze to the ground looking guilty. "Didn't bother telling any one else that you weren't planning on waking me up either. You lied to everybody and said that I was sick! You poured gravy that _I_ made for you all down my shirt last night and to top it off, I've tried apologizing to you every second I get and you still won't forgive me!" Ron shouted at her but she didn't look up at him. Ron then turned to Harry. "Was that _Malfoy_?" He asked thickly.

"Yes, he works here." Harry muttered not wanting Ron to turn his rage on him. He didn't and instead turned back to Hermione who was now crying.

"What the bloody hell are you crying for? You're the one who's been lying and making _me_ late! You're the one who's got the upper hand in this fight because I am actually admitting that I'm wrong! Do you think I would even bother trying to beg for your forgiveness if I didn't-" Ron stopped abruptly and Hermione's head snapped up to look at him. Harry knew that Ron had almost told Hermione that he loved her but had stopped himself before it could slip out. Harry had always thought Ron was being stupid by not confessing his real feelings for Hermione, but then again, Ron had always been a little slow with these sorts of things. It had taken him almost four years to realize she was a girl.

"If you didn't what?" Hermione asked and she sniffed.

"If I didn't like you a whole lot! You're my girlfriend for crying out loud! You're supposed to forgive me when I do stupid things!" Ron shouted at her, obviously wishing he hadn't been so careless with his words.

"Well you do an awful _lot_ of stupid things!" Hermione finally shouted back and Harry was kind of glad that she had decided to defend herself. It was much better than having Ron yell at her.

"What are you saying? You don't want to be my girlfriend any more?" He yelled and Harry knew what was coming next.

"Yes! I do not want to be your girlfriend anymore! This relationship is over for good!" Hermione flung her arms out and Harry's stomach dropped. He hated it when Ron and Hermione broke up. They would spend the rest of their time ignoring each other and glaring until one of them (usually Hermione) finally apologized for their behavior and the two made up (in ways that Harry never appreciated since the flat had very _thin_ walls).

"Fine then!" Ron yelled his voice cracking. Harry looked over at him surprised. Ron actually sounded upset. Usually he was happy that he and Hermione had broken up and would brag about how he was a free man even though he never did anything with any other girls and came crawling back when Hermione finally apologized. Harry sometimes thought Ron enjoyed their break ups because it gave him and Hermione an excuse to make up.

"Fine!" Hermione repeated and she stamped out of the room. Harry looked over at Ron in surprise and Ron mirrored his expression. The two stared at each other for a moment both trying to figure out what had just happen. When they both seemed to figure it out in their minds Harry shrugged and they headed out of the room to find Draco Malfoy standing in front of the table and Hermione smiling at the awaiting crowd. The line of people stretched from the front of the table, around all of the large bookshelves and then out of the door and partly down the street. Harry's eyes widened at this and he smiled awkwardly at the crowd as they all began to whisper when they spotted them. He saw them all gaze up at his scar and he shook his head slightly. It hadn't hurt him since Voldemort had died.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the book signing will now begin. Please stay in a proper line and Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Ms. Granger will sign you books accordingly then you may move to the front register to purchase your copy of _'Harry Potter and the Dark Lord: The Journey for the Horcruxes and the Battle of Hogwarts'_. Thank you." Malfoy said in a bored voice before moving towards the front register as the first people slammed their books in front of them and they began signing.

"Is it true that you saved Harry Potter from a freezing lake?" A young girl asked Ron looking up at him with big eyes.

"Yes, I did." Ron said but for once he did not look interested in reliving the adventure.

"Are you really a Parselmouth?" A teenage boy asked Harry as he pushed his book in front of him.

"I used to be. I can't speak it anymore though. When the Tom Riddle in me was destroyed I lost the ability to speak it." Harry explained and the boy nodded. The use of Voldemort's real name had become a habit to him. After the war had ended he had decided that it would be better for people to call him by his birth name rather than the name they all had feared to speak for so long.

"Don't you wish you could still do it?" The boy asked.

"Not really. It wasn't nearly as cool as it sounds." Harry told him and the boy walked away.

"Did you really use fangs from a Basilisk to destroy Helga Hufflepuff's cup?" An older man asked Hermione and she nodded.

"Yes. We got them from the Chamber of Secrets. It's all there in Chapter Thirty One: _The Chamber Re-Opened._" Hermione explained and the man walked away.

"Are you two actually dating?" A teenage girl had asked the question to Ron and Hermione. The trio was staring at her and Harry felt like the entire room had gone silent for a moment, awaiting the answer.

"No, we aren't anymore." Hermione said simply and the girl nodded, then turned to smile at Ron. Hermione glared at the young girl but Ron, to Harry's surprise, merely nodded at her and she left in a fit of giggles.

"I have to say that's a shocker." Kyle Barclay said walking up to the table. Kyle worked at the Ministry with Hermione, Ron, and Harry and had always had an eye for Hermione. He was looking over at her and smiling sweetly.

"Hello Kyle! It's lovely to see you here." Hermione said her voice honey-sweet and made Harry cringe.

"I couldn't very well miss this, 'Mione!" He said with a laugh and Hermione began giggling. Harry rolled his eyes and knew that Ron wouldn't be reacting well to that. He had always wanted to call Hermione that but she had never allowed him to. Harry couldn't see why she didn't like the nickname because it sounded much better than plain old 'Hermione'. Ron stabbed his quill into the ink bottle with such force that it tipped over and spilled. Harry gave Ron a warning look trying to silently tell him that if he blew up at Kyle now, Hermione would never forgive him for it.

"Look, 'Mione, I know its short notice but I was wondering if you were busy this Friday night? Perhaps you and I can get together for a nice dinner and…talk." Kyle said and smiled brightly at Hermione. Harry was instantly reminded of Gilderoy Lockhart and he wondered how a girl who always seemed to fancy men with gorgeous, award-winning smiles could be in love with a guy who had a boyish lopsided grin. Hermione was giggling again and her cheeks turned pink.

"You're right. It is short notice, Kyle." She looked over at Ron. "But I'm _sure_ we can figure out something. Perhaps we can get together next Friday instead. I'll get back to you at work tomorrow." Hermione said. Kyle then said goodbye and Ron glared after him until he exited, then he turned his glare towards Hermione. Harry wasn't worried about Hermione and Kyle. He knew that Hermione was going to turn him down tomorrow at work but she just wanted to annoy Ron by making him think she was actually going to go through with it.

"_By this time next week they'll be snogging in our living room and Ron will be agreeing with everything she says."_ Harry thought to himself.

Ron had recalled the fight for Harry when he had returned to the flat that night. Ron had expected Harry to tell him that he was being stupid, that he was being irrational, and that he should stop thinking he and Hermione had something together. Instead, though, Harry shrugged, explained calmly to Ron that he had no feelings beyond friendship for Hermione, and convinced him that he had to apologize. Ever since Ron's encounter with the locket Horcrux Harry had been much more lenient with Ron's jealously towards him and Hermione. He now understood that it wasn't just Ron seeking attention, it was actually Ron's biggest fear. Harry knew that in the two years that had past since the Horcruxes were destroyed Ron had not told Hermione anything about what happened other than "it screamed". In the book, however, Ron had gone into full detail about his encounter with the part of Tom Riddle's soul and had written down every word the locket had said to him because he had been dreaming about it for years. Harry had been the one to proof-read the chapter and was thoroughly surprised to see some of the things written there. Although Harry had been present at the time he had never asked Ron what he had been feeling while the Horcrux tormented him and reading it first hand made it seem all that much worse.

"_And when Hermione reads it she'll know."_ Harry thought. When Hermione finally got the chance to read Ron's chapter of the book she would finally know why he always blew up when she and Harry shared a fun moment without him or implied (always unintentionally and without real feeling) that they loved each other. It had always been a joke to Hermione and Harry had played along but Ron never took to it well. The chapter would explain to Hermione the reasons behind that, and even explain his real feelings for her. _"And then,"_ Harry thought, _"They'll finally get married." _

Strange as it seemed, Harry had often fantasized about the day his two best friends got married. It would mean that he would no longer have to deal with the fights or worry that their friendship would be ruined. He imagined how he and Ginny would walk over and congratulate them, telling them how great married life was since they would have married months before…

Harry fought back his insane grin. He was proposing to Ginny in a few days. He had already purchased a beautiful diamond ring from a jeweler on Diagon Ally and tonight he would be going to visit Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to ask their permission to marry their youngest child and only daughter. He was going to bring them their two copies of Hermione's book and tell them all about the book signing. Then, he would offer to make tea but allow Mrs. Weasley to do it (because she would insist upon him sitting down and resting after a hard day). He would chat with Mr. Weasley about life at the Ministry and all the improvements being made, then ask Mrs. Weasley how her other children were doing. After a few more minutes of polite chatter, he would bring up his relationship with Ginny and once he got them used to the idea of the pair being serious for over a year now, he would tell them his wish to propose to her.

He could just imagine their faces now! Mr. Weasley would pat him on the back and beam while Mrs. Weasley would start to cry and bring him in to a bone breaking hug. She would weep and tell him how glad she was that she would have him as a son-in-law and Mr. Weasley would get excited about Harry teaching his daughter the tricks of Muggle living.

Harry sighed deeply and before he knew it, it was eleven o'clock and Victor Krum had made his way to the front of the line. He was looking down at Ron with a careful smile as if he were afraid Ron might stand up and punch him. Surprisingly, however, Ron grinned broadly back and Harry felt his jaw drop open.

"Hello. You are Von, aren't you?" He asked and Harry saw Ron cringe a little at the way Krum said his name.

"Yes. It's good to see you again Krum. How have you been? I see you're still doing well with Qudditch." Ron said to him brightly and Harry was reminded of Hermione's attitude towards Kyle.

"I've been vell. And thank you, Qudditch is getting harder and harder as I get older but it's impossible to give up." Krum said and Ron nodded enthusiastically as he signed Victor's book.

"I know what you mean. Harry and I still have a go every now and again." Ron explained as Krum moved in front of Harry who took the book and signed.

"Hello Harry. It's nice to see you again, too." He said and Harry nodded.

"Same here, Krum." Harry replied and passed the book down to Hermione who had been chatting to an older woman and hadn't noticed Krum's arrival yet. When she had said goodbye to the woman and taken up the book she squealed as her eyes fell upon Victor.

"Oh Victor! I'm so glad you could make it! I was worried you would be too busy playing _professional_ Qudditch." Hermione said loudly. Victor just nodded looking confused and giving Harry a pleading look. Harry shrugged at him, not knowing how to stop Hermione's odd mood, and Victor turned to look back at her.

"I couldn't miss this. I'm very impressed. I can't vait to read it." He said. Hermione began giggling again and Ron, Harry, and Krum all cringed at the sound.

"Why, Victor! Thank you so much. Are you going to stay around with us until we've finished or do you plan on walking around Diagon Ally?" Hermione asked him, either not seeing or ignoring all of their repulsed looks.

"I'm going to valk around the street till you're done. I think I'll see the joke shop. I've heard it's great." Victor told her and she nodded.

"It is great. My brothers founded it and now my sister helps run it. She's in charge of the store here in Diagon Ally." Ron interjected suddenly. Hermione turned to look at Ron and Harry was positive that if looks could kill Ron would have just dropped dead.

"Oh, I see. That is very nice. Vas you sister a bridesmaid at the vedding?" Krum asked and Harry felt the roar of a dragon in the pit of his stomach. He remembered how Krum had asked about Ginny and had seemed very interested in her until Harry had mentioned her non-existent (at the time) extremely jealous boyfriend.

"Yes. I'm her boyfriend." The words had slipped out before he had realized it and the three of them looked over at him confused and surprised. He shrugged awkwardly and looked back down at the book in front of him.

"Vell you are a lucky man. I vill see you all later. When does this end, exactly?" Krum asked, looking down at Hermione.

"Around four o'clock, Victor." She said, blinking quickly so her eyelashes fluttered. It was hard for Harry not to laugh at her and he could tell that even Ron was resisting the urge.

After a few more hours they saw Kingsley, George, Lee, Charlie, Percy, Bill, Fleur, Seamus Finnigan, Neville, Hannah Abbott, Ernie MacMillan, Susan Bones, Denis Creevey, and a number of their other old classmates. They talked to them for a few minutes, enough for a quick update on their lives before they had to rush out because of the long line of waiting people.

At a quarter to three Luna, Dean, and Ginny arrived. Harry smiled as the trio entered, not only because his girlfriend was there but also because Luna was amongst them. Luna was beaming at him, her large eyes capturing his own. Harry smiled back at her. She wore a large green ribbon on the top of her long blonde hair that matched the long green shirt she wore over tight jeans and green flats.

Luna had meant so much to him as a friend. She had taught him that it was okay to trust in others, and that is was okay to grieve. But she had also taught him that there are certain things you must do alone, and that you must move on no matter how hard it seems. She had been his only friend to lose a parent and knew what it was like for him when he had lost Sirius. She had sympathized but not felt sorry for him. Luna had been someone he could turn to when confused and she would help him to understand in her strange, Loony way.

"Hello." Luna said, her voice drifting to them as they approached. When the three reached the table Ginny bent over it and kissed Harry. He smiled inspite of himself, thinking of his plans that night. Ginny wore a tight red shirt and a black blazer that matched her black boots. She had always had a good fashion sense that she had stubbornly been trying to rub off on Hermione.

"Hey!" Dean said and shook all of their hands

"Dean! Thank you so much for the illustrations! You should be here signing books too!" Hermione said happily, finally abandoning her sickly sweet tones.

"Oh, it was nothing. You guys saved my life. It was the least I could do." Dean said modestly as Luna turned her smile to him.

"Yeah, you really did do an awesome job." Ron spoke up obviously hoping Hermione would smile at him like Luna was smiling at Dean.

"Thanks mate. Look, we can't stay long because of this mad line but we just wanted to stop by and say hello. We'll come by tomorrow morning before we take off." Dean said

"Take off for where?" Harry asked Luna who looked at him with wide eyes.

"We're going to Scotland! They've been having awful trouble with a herd of Nickelbunglers living in a big lake over there. The Muggles have been reporting sightings of it for years now and Ministry workers have to stop by and cast some Confundus Charms. The Muggles think there's only one but I believe there are more than 50 at the very least."" She explained happily.

"Do you mean the Loch Ness Monster?" Hermione asked and Harry knew that she was seconds away from telling Luna that such things did not exist but Luna cut her off.

"Oh yes, that's what the Muggles there call it. It's an ancient species, the Nickelbunglers. They turn invisible at will and live for thousands of years. Fascinating creatures, really. Dean and I are just dropping by to say 'hello' to the herd and study them. We're writing an article about them for the Quibbler for Daddy to publish." Luna explained to them and Harry nodded hoping Ron wouldn't laugh and that Hermione wouldn't scoff. When neither did Harry sighed in relief.

"Well, we'd better get going. See you all tomorrow morning." Ginny said and bent down to kiss Harry again. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Ron looking away from this like he normally did. Harry had been worried about Ron the most when it came to proposing to Ginny but, then again, Ron been quite supportive of the pair ever since Ginny moved in so Harry hoped he would feel the same way about their marriage.

"What's up with them?" Ginny whispered in Harry's ear as Ron continued to look over at a group of teenage girls and Hermione glared at them.

"They broke up again." Harry whispered back and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Oh, great! Make sure they don't kill each other tonight." She whispered and then straightened up and left with Luna and Dean.

Within the next hour the crowd thinned and soon nobody was left. Malfoy walked back over to them looking slightly flustered.

"Alright. It's done now so you can all leave. Thank you for coming. Goodbye." Draco said shortly before walking into the back room and away from them.

"Pleasant chap." Ron said and Harry laughed.

"Listen, I'm going take these books to your Mum and Dad's house. I'll meet you back at the flat." Harry told Ron.

"Why don't you just let me take them?" Ron asked.

"Do you want to leave Hermione and Victor alone together?" Harry asked him and Ron's eyes widened.

"Get going then." He said to Harry and he laughed before Disapparating from the store.

After the uncomfortable near-strangulation that he had become accustomed to over the years, he appeared again in the yard of the Burrow. The chickens were clucking merrily and a few gnomes had stuck their heads out of the bushes to look at the new arrival.

The back door was open, a custom that Mrs. Weasley had gotten in the habit of ever since the war had ended. Harry knocked on the open door and looked into the seemingly empty house.

"Hello? Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? It's Harry." He called into the house. He then heard some bustling and Mrs. Weasley came heading towards him from the staircase. She was wearing a very pretty dress and her face was made up.

"Oh! Harry dear I forgot that you were coming by to drop off the books. I'm afraid Arthur and I are in a terrible hurry. We're going out to dinner this evening and we're late!" She explained leading him into the house.

"Really?" Harry said and his heart sunk. He had planned out the _perfect_ way to ask the Weasley's for their daughters hand and now his plans were ruined.

"Yes, sorry. Thank you so much for dropping off the books though! We can't wait to read them. The idea of Ronald writing part of a book is just so thrilling! He told me that it would have a section about when he destroyed that dreadful locket! I cannot wait to see how he did it!" Mrs. Weasley said excitedly as she bustled about the kitchen trying to clean up before going out.

"Look, Mrs. Weasley I need to ask you and Mr. Weasley something." Harry started slowly. How was he supposed to prepare them for this? He had no time!

"You do? Let me just get him. Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley shouted up the stairs and Mr. Weasley soon came running down.

"Molly I can't find my left shoe! Where is it?" Mr. Weasley asked searching around the floor and in the cabinets, not noticing Harry's presence.

"Arthur, Harry's here with the books and he has a question for us." Mrs. Weasley said picking up his shoe from inside the sink and handing it to him. Mr. Weasley turned to look over at Harry and smiled brightly.

"Why, hello there Harry! Sorry for the mad rush. You know us Weasley's, always late for something." He laughed as he shoved his shoe on.

"Right. Um, I just wanted to… er… there's something really important I need to ask." He said as the two of them continued to bustle about.

"What is it, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked, fixing her makeup in the reflection of the faucet.

"Maybe you two had better sit down." He said. He might have to do it fast but he was going to do it right!

"Alright, but please be quick we have to run." Mrs. Weasley said and the three of them sat down at the kitchen table.

"Okay, so you know that Ginny and I have been dating for two years now and that we love each other very much."

"Yes, it is wonderful that she found someone like you, Harry." Mr. Weasley praised

"We are so proud of her for growing up so fast and taking over for George!" Mrs. Weasley said happily.

"Right, well, you know that I would do anything for her and that after the War I've been much more open to relationships with people. I learned how to love just like Dumbledore always wanted me to. And I was just-"

"We are proud of you too, Harry! You've lived up to and beyond all of Dumbledore's expectations!"

"Yes and the way you treat our little girl is absolutely wonderful."

"Thank you, anyways, I was thinking-"

"Harry how much longer do you think this will take?-"

"Yes, we are really late for dinner."

"It will just take-"

"We made reservations and if we don't get there soon they'll give away our table."

"And Arthur has been working so hard at the office lately that we really wanted a night to relax."

"I understand but-"

"You wouldn't believe how hard I've been working to help fix up the Ministry. Then again, I know you've been working hard too."

"Ron tells us that the three of you have been under a lot of pressure to pass your training final but I'm _sure_ you will-"

"I WANT TO ASK GINNY TO MARRY ME!"

The room went dead silent. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's jaws had dropped open and Harry's face lost all color.

"Um… I mean... Er… _May _I have your permission to have your daughters hand in marriage?" Harry quickly revised. Mr. Weasley shut his mouth quickly but Mrs. Weasley continued to stare open mouthed at Harry.

"Harry, our daughter is only 19 years-old." Mr. Weasley started slowly.

"Yes, I know, but in a couple months she'll be 20 and I don't plan on marrying her until sometime next year-"

"She's only been away from Hogwarts for a year-"

"But she's seen and done more than most people see or do in their entire lives!"

"Ginny has only been away from home for a year now, living with three other people and I'm just not sure she's ready to live one-on-one with just you."

"She's definitely ready for that. She's cooks breakfast with Ron every morning and Hermione taught her all the household charms and spells and we all do our own bit of chores around the flat. She wakes me up every morning just like Hermione wakes up Ron-"

"Do you really want to do this?" Mrs. Weasley spoke up and Mr. Weasley and Harry both turned to look at her.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked not daring to believe his ears.

"Are you serious about marrying my daughter?" Mrs. Weasley asked again and this time Mr. Weasley looked at Harry with the same curious expression.

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life." He said and a tear ran down Mrs. Weasley's cheek.

"Then you have our permission, Harry." She said and it was Harry's turn to drop his jaw.

"Really?" He asked and Mrs. Weasley laughed.

"Of course. We've known you since you were eleven years old and we know that you are a good boy. Now, you're a man and there's nobody I could think of who would take better care of my little girl." She said.

"Yes, Harry. I guess this is a good thing. As long as Ginny is ready for marriage, we support you." Mr. Weasley said and he stood up from the table. He held out his hand and Harry shook it gladly.

He had their permission! He could propose to Ginny! They could get married and move to a house by the sea with their three or four children.

"Now we'd better get going, darling. Make sure to tell us all about it, Harry!" Mrs. Weasley said as the two of them headed towards the back door.

"Oh! Ok! Thank you! I'll talk to you soon! Goodbye!" Harry said following them out of the door as they Disapparated. He stood for a moment longer looking out at the distant hills. He sighed with relief and then Disapparated back to Diagon Ally.

He arrived in front of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and entered to find Neville chatting to Hannah Abbott as they were preparing to close the shop.

"Hey, Harry!" Neville called and Hannah waved next to him.

"Hey, Neville! Hey, Hannah!" Harry called back happily.

"Tell Hermione that we love her book so far! I'm already on Chapter Ten! Hannah's on Chapter Twenty because she reads much faster." Neville said and he looked over at Hannah who was giggling and blushing.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it!" Harry said unable to hide his joy both from the compliments on the book and the excitement of being able to propose to Ginny.

"It's amazing! And can you tell Ron that his Chapter has been my favorite so far? It was so captivating and so scary. He was very brave in saving you and destroying that Horcrux even though it tried to torture him with those weird figures of you and Hermione! I never thought he could do something like that!" Hannah said in her small voice.

"Thanks, I'll go tell him right now!" Harry said and dashed up the staircase. Ron would be so pleased with himself to hear that somebody had thought he was brave and a hero.

He tapped the door handle and whispered the password before opening it and stepping through. When he entered he found Krum sitting on the couch staring in to the fire and Ron standing next to him doing just the same.

"Hello!" Harry said excited about giving Ron the news.

"Hi." Ron said and Harry knew immediately that now was not the best time.

"Hello, Harry." Krum said and he got up off the couch and shook Harry's hand.

"What are you two up to?" Harry asked them suddenly aware of who he was talking to. Ron and Krum together in the same room? This couldn't be good!

"Talking. Hermione's just gone to bed." Ron answered and his grumpy tone told Harry exactly why Ron and Krum were alone.

"You're still not together?" Harry asked and Ron nodded in reply.

"You two are not dating anymore?" Krum asked Ron, not taking his gaze away from the flames.

"No. She broke up with me this morning. It's not the first time though. It's the third time in five months." Ron explained and Harry felt his own mood dampen.

"Is that vhy she invited me to the signing? She vanted to make you jealous?" Krum asked.

"I guess so." Harry said and he sat down in his usual armchair.

"Her efforts seem vorthless though. You are not falling for them this time?" Krum asked Ron.

"No. I know what she's trying to do now and I won't let it bother me. Besides, you don't seem to be falling for it either." Ron said looking down at Krum with a raised eyebrow.

"That is because I have a girlfriend back in Bulgaria. I planned on telling Her-my-own-ninny about it vhen I got here but I have not been able to speak very much." Krum explained and Harry and Ron both laughed at this. Hermione had a bad habit of talking too much around certain people. The two of them had just learned how to interrupt and share their own thoughts before she could get too carried away.

"Yeah, well, with Hermione you kind of have to interrupt her and shout at her before she gets the point that you want to talk." Ron said and Victor laughed as Harry nodded in agreement. Ron seemed much happier now which also brought up Harry's mood again.

"I have noticed. She likes it better vhen you talk vith her though. She has told me before that is vhy she likes you two so much. You two talk to her often. I'm afraid I vas never a very conversational person." Krum told them and they nodded.

"I always thought that she liked you more than Harry and I because you let her do all the talking." Ron said and Krum laughed a little more heartedly at this.

"I guess ve've both just had the vong impression of each other this vole time." Krum said and Ron smiled.

"It's funny how we both ended up involved with the same bird, though." Ron said.

"Yes. But you have von her in the end, haven't you?" Krum said but he did not sound bitter like Harry would have expected.

"I did. We've broken up, though, remember?" Ron reminded said and his face fell a bit.

"You vill get back together soon. I have a feeling. Her-my-own-ninny voves you after all." Krum said and Ron's face lost color.

"What?" Ron asked his voice an octave above normal.

"Her-my-own-ninny voves you. She has told me a few times in her letters. She says that she voves you deeply but fears that you do not feel the same because you have not said 'I vove you' to her." Krum explained and Ron's ears began turning pink.

"I told you so." Harry muttered but Ron ignored him. Harry had been telling Ron this for more than a year now and finally, when an international Qudditch player tells him, he listened!

"I… I thought… I thought she wanted me to wait before I said 'I vove you' – I mean 'I love you'." Ron said to himself.

"That's women for you." Harry said and Ron nodded his agreement.

"Them birds… how are we supposed to figure out what they're thinking? And how are we supposed to know what to do or what to say all the time?" Ron asked sitting down on the couch beside Victor and staring into the fire with him.

"Vell, you could alvays do what I do. Just listen, nod, and hope for the best."

**Woohoo. Second chapter done.**

**WHAT TO EXPECT IN LAST CHAPTER:**

**-Ron's account ((as seen in the book **_**"Harry Potter and the Dark Lord: The Journey for the Horcruxes and the Battle of Hogwarts"**_

**- Fluff. Duh.**

**-The damn Invisibility Cloak ((that I just **_**know **_**you've been wondering about)) will make its debut.**

**-Ron's moment of truth… will he confess his love or chicken out?**

**-The proposal ((aah!))**

**Read & Review please.**

**--Anna--**


	3. The Invisibility Cloak

**TITLE:**

"**Birds, Blokes, and Invisibility Cloaks"**

**AUTHOR:**

**Anna**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I own Harry Potter? That's funny. HA!**

**NOTE:**

**Okay, so I changed my mind about how I'm going to do the point of view in this chapter. It's gonna go like this:: Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny then just Ron and Hermione for the rest of it. I know its madness!! But don't be discouraged!! It is full of adventure and romance and other things that are appealing ((invisibility cloaks, for instance))**

**Thank you all for your reviews!! You've all been so wonderful and I'm sorry this last chapter took me a while to post. Life's been hectic but I've really been trying my hardest to wrap things up! Please read and review. I hope you enjoy the last chapter!!**

"_The course of true love never did run smooth." – William Shakespeare_

"…_He knew that they were just so in synch with each other, had been so close for so long, that she could read him like a book. And nobody, absolutely nobody, could read a book more certainly than Hermione Granger." – Loveadubdub's AMAZING fic: "Perfect"… check it out, it's spectacular_

_---_

CHAPTER THREE: THE INVISIBILITY CLOAK

**CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE LOCKET**

**BY: Ronald B. Weasley**

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine."

_I felt my entire body shudder as the cold voice echoed throughout the clearing. The sound had come from deep inside the open locket where the two eyes peered up at me and I knew, without doubt, that it was the voice of the young Tom Riddle._

_My stomach dropped and all of the evil, awful thoughts I had had when I would wear the Horcrux flooded my mind again. Harry shouted something at me but I couldn't hear him._

"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all that you dread is also possible…

"Least loved, always, by the mother who craved a daughter… Least loved, now, by the girl who prefers your friend… Second best, always, eternally overshadowed…"

_All of my worst nightmares were coming true. In my mind I saw my mother ignoring me while praising all of her other children. I saw Hermione and Harry embracing, laughing at my stupidity and rejoicing in the fact that I was gone._

_Suddenly, just as I had thought it, a distorted version of Harry and Hermione rose up out of the eyes. They were terrible but beautiful and I couldn't help but yell at the sight of them. I backed away from the figures in the glass and Harry let go of the locket. I was mesmerized by them, unable to look away._

"Why return?"_ The Fake-Harry asked me in Tom Riddle's voice. _"We were better without you, happier without you, glad of your absence… We laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice, your presumption –"

"Presumption!" _The Fake-Hermione echoed laughing at me in a voice that wasn't her own. I couldn't feel any part of my body. My mind had turned off and my heart had stopped beating. I was dieing for sure._

"Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Harry Potter? What have you ever done, compared with the Chosen One? What are you, compared with the Boy Who Lived?" _She hissed._

"Your mother confessed that she would have preferred me as a son. Would be glad to exchange…" _The Fake-Harry sneered._

"Who wouldn't prefer him, what woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing to him," _Fake-Hermione crooned as she stretched a snake-like arm around Fake-Harry and the two embraced tightly. They moved closer to each other and they were kissing._

"_Do it, Ron!" Harry's voice finally reached my ears. I looked towards him and a burning hate filled me. For a split second I wanted to strike him with the sword, to send the blade through his heart and make it stop beating. I wanted him to feel the same pain I was feeling. I wanted to break his heart like he had broken mine._

"_Ron –" He said and that moment of hate was gone. I was reminded of when I heard Hermione say my name in the Deluminator. I had come back for a reason. I had come back to save Harry, to protect Hermione, to destroy the Horcruxes._

_And in that instant I knew what I had to do. I turned my attention back to the locket and held the sword high before plunging it into the glass. The locket screamed at the same time I did. I looked down and saw the smoking, broken pieces of metal below me on the rock._

_Harry moved forward and looked into my eyes. Tears were filling them and he courteously looked away. I dropped the sword to the ground and fell to my knees. I had no strength left in me anymore and I couldn't get the distorted image of my friends kissing out of my head._

_Harry moved forward and put a hand on my shoulder._

"_After you left she cried for a week. Probably longer, only she didn't want me to see. There were loads of nights when we never even spoke to each other. With you gone…" He paused but I couldn't look up at him. "She's like my sister. I love her like a sister and I reckon she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew."……_

_The War took a toll on me that I had never expected. I wake up in the middle of the night hearing Hermione's screams as Bellatrix Lestrange tortured her in the Malfoy Manor. I get a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever the lights go out. I feel my heart beat get faster when something stirs in the night. I can't help but thank Harry for everything he did for me and the rest of the Wizarding World every night before we both go off to our beds._

_I don't know what's going to happen to me in the future, I don't know if I'll ever be able to forget about that encounter in the clearing, I don't know if the vision of my older brother laughing and then dieing before my eyes will ever stop haunting my dreams, and I don't know if I will ever be able to drown out the sound of Hermione screaming my name through the rain as I abandoned her and Harry._

_Something I do know, though, is that even though war claims a terrible price, although we lost so many we cared for along the way it has the ability to make you see what you were blind to before. The threat of death looming around every corner made me realize that I loved Hermione, made me realize that without Harry I was nothing. _

_Albus Dumbledore always told us that what we needed during such troubled times was something we could find within each other. It was the greatest weapon to use against our enemies, the one thing they never had. That weapon won the War, that weapon saved us all. It was and still is the most powerful magic of all. It's love._

Hermione closed the book for the tenth time with tears in her eyes. It had been a week since Victor Krum had stayed at the flat and since Ron had instructed her to read his chapter of the book but she had put it off, thinking that it wasn't all that important. The previous night, however, she had decided to read it after having an icy encounter with Ron at dinner. When she got to the part about the Horcrux she couldn't believe what she was reading. Her mouth was hanging open and her stomach was on the floor while her heart stuck in her throat.

Ron's greatest fear was that Hermione would never love him and instead run off with Harry! She felt like such a prat. She had scolded and yelled at him for thinking something so preposterous without realizing that it was Ron's deepest insecurity. What made it worse, though, was how Ron had continually tried to apologize and admit that he was wrong but she had been so stubborn because she wanted to make him as angry as he had made her. Now it all seemed stupid and a worthless effort. Ron had not succumbed to her taunts with Krum or Kyle and instead had proceeded to ignore her, the only exception being to ask her if she had read the book yet or not. Her answer for the past week had, of course, been no but now when he asked her today she would be forced to say 'yes' and confront him about it.

But she was going to put off that meeting as long as possible.

Hermione had got up an hour earlier than usual and made her own breakfast before she departed for the Ministry, leaving before anyone else woke up. She couldn't afford a run-in with Ron so early in the morning because she knew that if she did she wouldn't be able to concentrate on work that day.

She had to be on-top of her game now, since she had only been an Auror for a few days. Ron, Harry, and her had passed their training with flying colors and had become official Auror's that Monday. It was Thursday now and the three of them had been working hard, trying to prove themselves to the other Auror's around them.

When Hermione arrived she went straight up the Lifts and then to her usual cubicle. She sat down at her desk and immediately pulled out the paper sitting on her in-tray.

_Ms. Granger,_

_We have received reports of a temporarily dangerous witch/wizard causing trouble in Surrey. Apparently she/he has found it to be entertaining to enchant Muggle teapots to breathe fire. Your help would be much appreciated in the catching of this criminal._

_Please meet me in my office and we will both leave for Surrey as soon as possible._

_Sincerely,_

_Arthur S. Weasley_

_Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office_

Hermione felt her stomach drop at the thought of spending the rest of her day with Mr. Weasley. It wasn't that she didn't like him, but she knew things would be awkward since her and Ron had broken up. Mr. Weasley didn't know about the break up (or any of the past break ups, for that matter) and she didn't want to be the one to tell him.

Slowly Hermione left her cubicle and headed towards the staircases. After the war Kingsley had extended the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office and it was now located where the older courtrooms used to be. Mr. Weasley was Head of the Department and as such he received a much higher salary.

Hermione entered the high double doors and looked around at the mass of desks all cluttered with muggle objects from toasters to televisions and even a few rubber ducks. She walked to the center of the room where she found Mr. Weasley sitting at the largest (and most cluttered) desk of all.

"Oh! Hello Hermione! Just give me one second and we'll be off! I've just got to figure – out – how – this – works!" Mr. Weasley said as he tried jamming a video tape into an upside down VCR.

"Here, Mr. Weasley, may I try?" She asked and he nodded vigorously. Hermione took the VCR and turned it over the correct way before pushing the tape in. "This button will turn it on but nothing will happen unless you plug it in first." She explained.

"Right. It goes into the electrical outlet, correct?" He asked taking the VCR back and placing it back on the desk.

"Yes, that's right. Have you been reading that book I bought you on muggle electricity and appliances?" Hermione asked him as the pair exited the room and walked back up the stairs.

"Of course! It's so helpful; I can't thank you enough for it!" Mr. Weasley praised. He had always been fond of Hermione, especially when she had started to date Ron. It might have just been all of her knowledge on muggle technology that made him like her but she knew that dating his youngest son and helping him become an Auror had also boosted her popularity.

"We'll be stopping by to say 'goodbye' to Ron, right? I've got to give him a letter from Molly. She's been in such a slum ever since she read about Ron and that dreadful locket! She wanted to talk to him about it personally but he's been so busy (and I'm not so sure she could handle it) so she decided to write him a letter. It's taken her all week but I'm sure it's wonderful." Mr. Weasley explained as they reached the top of the stairs

"What's the letter about, if you don't mind me asking?" She said.

"It's an apology letter. Molly felt so bad about how Ron thought she didn't love him. To be honest I think most of it's an assortment of praise, telling him how wonderful he is. Not that there's anything wrong with that, though. Ron's a marvelous boy… but perhaps a bit dimwitted…" At this Mr. Weasley gave Hermione a pointed look.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come now, Hermione! To think you would ever leave him for Harry? Simply ridiculous. I never met a pair better made for each other than you and – Ron!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed and Hermione jumped at the sound. She had been paying such close attention to Mr. Weasley she hadn't noticed that they were back amongst the array of cubicles. Ron now stood in front of them wearing a pair of dark red robes. He was looking exceptionally handsome and Hermione berated herself for allowing her eyes to wander over his body thinking of the many times she had been wrapped up in his arms.

"Hey, Dad!" Ron said grinning. He then turned to Hermione and smiled again but this time in a very mechanical way. "Hello, Hermione. Missed you this morning." He said shortly before looking back at his father.

"I've got a letter from you Mum here. She was very upset with herself after reading the book. It was well written, though, Ron!" Mr. Weasley said apparently not noticing the frosty greeting.

"Yes, it was extremely well written." Hermione agreed. Ron looked at her, searching her brown eyes. She figured the best way to tell him she had read his story was when they couldn't discuss it.

"Well, must be off! Dark wizards to catch after all!" Mr. Weasley said before he and Hermione walked towards the Lifts that would take them up to the Atrium.

"Hermione, might I ask you a question?" Mr. Weasley inquired softly as the Lift became more crowded.

"What is it, Mr. Weasley?" She asked in a similarly soft voice.

"What do you think about a fall wedding? Not this coming fall but the following one?" He asked and Hermione felt her jaw drop.

"Pardon me?" She said in an unusually high voice that made other people in the Lift turn and stare at them.

"Gosh, Hermione, hasn't Harry told you?" Mr. Weasley asked surprised and Hermione's jaw dropped again.

"Told me what?"

"That he's proposing to Ginny."

"WHAT?!" Hermione's scream attracted the gaze of all the people exiting the Lift.

"Sorry." She quickly apologized as she and Mr. Weasley also left.

"Oh dear, I thought Harry had already told you and Ron! Well, please don't bring it up in front of him! I guess it was supposed to be a surprise." Mr. Weasley said as they approached a fireplace.

"When did he tell you about it?" Hermione asked grabbing a handful of Floo Powder from a jar on the mantle above the fireplace.

"The night after your book signing. I'll admit I'm not sure I like the idea of my little girl getting married at such a young age. I would have thought some of her older siblings would be getting married soon, though." He said stepping into the fire and glancing down at Hermione. She felt her cheeks burn and not from the emerald flames that had engulfed her. How could she tell Mr. Weasley that she and Ron were not even together anymore when he was hinting at them getting married?

Not that she would mind marrying Ron. She wouldn't mind that at all.

Mr. Weasley shouted their destination into the flames and she felt herself being pulled and twisted in a blur of color and sound.

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_My darling, I have just finished reading Hermione's book. Please tell her that your father and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Your chapter truly touched us. You are a very talented writer, Ron! You've always been talented in many different things, of course, ever since you were a young boy! Your father and I have always been extremely proud of you! You were so brave when you went with Harry and Hermione to find the Horcruxes. I'm so proud of your loyalty and your determination to protect your friends. You are a real hero, Ronald, and I love you so much…_

Ron didn't finish the rest of the letter. He cast a sticking charm and placed it on the wall of his cubicle and stared at it without actually reading. The letter was ridiculous, extreme, exaggerated, and Ron loved it immensely. His mother rarely praised him and he didn't even care that the only reason she was doing it was because she felt guilty.

"_You are a very talented writer, Ron!"_

"_Yes, it was extremely well written."_

Hermione's words clouded his thoughts. She had finally read that chapter and that meant she knew what had happened with that locket. She knew that he was in love with her. Ron had thought she would have come crying back to him, showering him in kisses and praise for his bravery and remarkable narration skills but she had barely even spoken to him all day. He felt his heart drop.

_So I guess that's it then. She really doesn't love me._

"Hey, Weasley," Kyle was walking over to him, his bright smile he had used to charm Hermione no where in sight. Kyle had never been nice to Ron and he knew nothing had changed. "You've got an assignment over at the _Prophet_. You might want to bring an Invisibility Cloak. Rumor has it that one of the journalists there stole some top secret documents intended for the Department of Mysteries. You need to go down there, find the documents, don't read them, cast a memory charm on the idiot who took them, report him to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, get back here and give the documents to Croaker." Kyle said in a bored voice before turning to walk away.

"What's the journalist's name?" Ron asked.

"As if I know. This is your assignment, not mine." He said coldly and walked back to his own cubicle. Ron sighed deeply before poking his head over to the cubicle next to his.

"Hey Harry." He said and Harry looked up at him and smiled.

"Need the Cloak?" He asked and Ron nodded as Harry opened a large drawer in his desk and handed the silvery material to Ron.

"Any ideas on who it could be?" Ron asked and Harry shrugged.

"What journalist do we know that is unethical, would result to stealing just to report it for their own benefit and popularity?" Harry asked and raised an eyebrow at Ron.

"Rita." Ron nodded and disappeared back behind his own cubicle before starting off towards the golden-grilled Lifts.

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As Ron's head disappeared from view Harry smiled and reached into the pocket of his emerald robes and pulled out the small, black velvet box. It was empty for now but at 9:30 he would be visiting Mrs. Weasley to get a ring that she had called "very special" to place inside the box.

Harry spent the next few hours filling out a report for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures dealing with the murder of several House Elves. He couldn't help but feel a weird burning sensation in the pit of his stomach as he thought about the lonely grave on the shores of Shell Cottage where Dobby now lay.

At about ten o'clock Harry sent the reports (now in the form of small paper airplanes) to their different Departments and set off for the Atrium. After tossing the powder into the fireplace and stepping into the emerald flames he shouted,

"The Burrow!"

Within seconds he came stumbling out of the fireplace in the living room of the Weasley's home.

"Oh, Harry, dear! There you are! I was wondering where you'd been." Mrs. Weasley came hurrying into the room and began brushing the soot off of Harry.

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley, I had to finish up some reports before I got here." He explained as she beckoned him into the kitchen.

"I understand, Harry, it's perfectly fine. Let me just get it for you! It's in my jewelry box. Be right back." She said and exited the kitchen as Harry took a seat at the long table. It wasn't long before Mrs. Weasley returned carrying the rather small box in her hands. It was made of dark, fine wood and engraved and painted on the top was a picture of a hummingbird sitting amongst some colorful flowers. She set it carefully down on the table in front of Harry. She opened it and a soft melody began playing. There was a pearl necklace, a golden necklace she had received from Fred and George, four golden bracelets with different stones on them, a mismatched bracelet that Harry assumed came from one of her children, and a ring. Molly was now removing the ring from the box. It was white-gold with a beautiful shining diamond on the top and had two, tiny green jewels on either side of the diamond.

"This was my mother's engagement ring. After she passed away I was left with most of her jewelry. That pearl necklace belonged to my great grandmother and has been passed down through all the women in my family. That beaded bracelet is from Ron. He made it for me one year when I was sick for the longest time." Mrs. Weasley explained pointing out the different items in the box.

"What about the bracelets?" Harry asked her and he saw a silent tear run down her face.

"Those are for my children, after they get married. I've already given Bill, Charlie, and Percy theirs at their weddings. The aqua one is for Ronald, the green is for Ginevra, and the two diamonds are for George… and Fred." She said and Harry put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, dear. You didn't come here for sad stories! You came here for this." She said wiping away her tears and handing Harry the engagement ring.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. This really means a lot. I know Ginny will love it." He said and she nodded.

"Of course she will! She's been admiring it for ages." Mrs. Weasley laughed slightly and gave Harry a firm hug.

"Just take care of my little girl, Harry. She's the only one I have." She whispered and Harry nodded.

"I promise that I will. I love her, Mrs. Weasley." He told her and she pulled away.

"Yes, yes you do." She agreed and smiled up at him.

"Well, I should get going. I'm meeting Ginny for lunch." He said with a wink.

"Goodbye, Harry, and good luck!" She said before he turned and Disapparated from the kitchen.

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"Thanks for shopping at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, please come again!" Ginny called after a teenage girl who was carrying a bag full of merchandise. It had been a long day so far and she had gotten a surprising number of customers. Most of the kids were there with their parents who had decided to come to Diagon Ally early to avoid the back-to-school crowd. She was working in the shop alone until noon and she kept glancing at the clock awaiting Neville's arrival.

"Hey, Ginny, sorry I'm so late!" Neville's voice called from the door and Ginny sighed in relief.

"Thank God you're here, Neville. I'm going mad back here. I need a break." She said and he nodded.

"Of course! Go ahead!" He said and she smiled before grabbing her purse and heading for the door. She began to walk down the street towards the Leaky Cauldron when she heard someone calling her name from behind. At first she thought it was Neville calling her back to the shop but when she realized who it really belonged to she felt a smile creep onto her face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, turning around to see Harry jogging towards her wearing dark jeans and a button down blue shirt.

"I came to eat lunch with you." He said innocently and she smiled.

"You know that you can't keep blowing off work to come spend time with me." She said and he looked at her in mock surprise.

"Blowing off work? That is not what I've been doing. I simply take an extra long lunch break. Besides, I've got the rest of the day off today." He said, slipping his hand into hers as they continued towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"What did you do that for?" Ginny asked.

"No reason." He said but she knew that he was lying. Normally she would press the situation and try to get as much information out of him as possible but for some reason today seemed different. It was as if she didn't want to know the secret he was keeping, as if she wanted him to surprise her.

"So where are we going?" She asked as he lead her out of the front doors of the Leaky Cauldron and out onto the busy streets of London.

"Well, I thought we could eat somewhere different for a change. Have a lunch in an exotic location." He said and she laughed.

"Muggle London is an exotic location?"

"You bet. It's full of surprises." Harry said and they continued down the street until they reached a mostly outdoor restaurant where the quickly grabbed a table and ordered a meal. They sat in a small, beautiful courtyard where a bunch of muggles were also seated.

There was a man in the center of the courtyard wearing a black cape and a tall black top hat.

"What is that?" Ginny asked Harry as they watched the man speak to the intently listening crowd and waved a plastic stick around.

"He's a magician. He does magic tricks." Harry explained and Ginny couldn't help but laugh.

"These muggles actually think he's doing magic?" She asked and Harry nodded not looking at Ginny but staring over at the magician.

"May I have two volunteers, please?" The man asked the crowd and Harry immediately raised his hand.

"What on earth are you doing?" Ginny asked suddenly alarmed. The last thing she wanted was to be the subject of a muggles "magic trick".

"Yes, you there with the funny scar and the lovely lady with the red hair." The magician said pointing at Harry and Ginny.

"I hate you." Ginny whispered as the pair stood up and walked over to the man.

"Good afternoon, ma'am and sir, would you care to help Magical Morris with his next trick?" The man asked and Ginny tried not to cringe.

"Of course!" Harry said and Ginny shot him a look as if to say 'Are-You-Mental?'

"Wonderful! Now, ma'am, could you please tell me your name?" Magical Morris asked.

"Ginny." She said shortly and the man gestured broadly.

"Ms. Ginny is going to do me the honor of picking a card from this deck. She will not show it to me but will instead show it to the young man to her left. Go ahead." Morris said holding the deck of cards out in front of her. Ginny reached out and grabbed a card from the middle of the deck and looked at it.

The Queen of Diamonds.

She showed the card to Harry and then looked at Magical Morris expectantly.

"Now would you please place the card back into the deck? I will avert my eyes and I promise not to peak!" Morris said and the crowd giggled at this. Ginny slipped the card into the pile as Morris looked away as promised. He then looked back and shuffled the cards around.

"Now please tell me, Ginny, was this the card you picked?" Magical Morris asked as he flicked the card on top of the deck and held it up facing her.

It was the Queen of Diamonds.

But instead of a red rhombus shape in the center of the card there was a drawing of a diamond ring. Then, just as Ginny examined it, the ring became larger and suddenly fell off of the card and into her outstretched hand. The band was made of white-gold and on either side of the diamond there was a green jewel. She had held this ring many times in her childhood, always wishing for it to be hers. It had once belonged to her grandmother but she had always looked at it as it sat in her mother's jewelry box.

She looked around at the gasping crowd and as she turned to look at Harry she didn't see him standing next to her. Instead, he was kneeling next to her, holding onto her hands and taking the ring from her.

"Ginevra Weasley, you make everyday ten times more magical, will you marry me?"

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"I swear I didn't read the documents!"

"Shut up Rita, I'm casting this charm whether you like it or not."

"But I have no idea what's written there!"

"Just like you're not an unregistered animagus? Right."

"Please, I need this story!"

"No, you really don't."

"If I write this story I'll be able to make it on top again."

"Yeah, 'cause I would just love for that to happen."

"You're just scared of what I'll write about you. Ronald Weasley, new Auror, taking advantage of his power in the Ministry to threaten innocent journalists who just want to uncover the truth about the Ministry—"

"If you were so determined to find truth and expose the Ministry where the hell were you two years ago when Voldemort and his Death Eaters were controlling it? Oh, now I remember! You were writing lies about Albus Dumbledore."

"Those were not lies."

"_Obliviate_!"

Ron looked down at a dazed Rita Skeeter. She looked up at him a smiled stupidly and he sighed deeply before walking out of the office door. He threw the Invisibility Cloak around himself and Disapparated to the Ministry.

When he arrived back at Auror headquarters he began working on the report on Rita for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. After he had sent it to them he sent another note to Adam Croaker of the Department of Mysteries.

_Mr. Croaker –_

_I have the missing documents. Rita Skeeter tried to write an article about them. Her memories been modified. I didn't read anything. Please come to cubicle 18 and I will return them to you._

_Ronald Weasley_

Ron sent the letter whizzing away towards the Department of Mysteries and five minutes later a short, stout, beady eyed little man came up to his cubicle.

"Mr. Croaker?"

"Yes." He said taking the documents from Ron's hand and leaving without another word.

"Nice to meet you too, sir." Ron said to his retreating back. Ron checked his watch.

7:00

It had been a long day. He leaned his head over to see the empty cubicle next to him. Harry had gone home early.

"_He and Ginny are probably at home together snogging in the living room."_ He thought to himself as he packed up his own stuff and headed towards the Lifts. The Invisibility Cloak was thrown casually across his shoulder as he checked out for the day and Disapparated in front of the shop in Diagon Ally.

"Home sweet home." He said out loud before walking into the shop.

"Oh, hey Ron! I was just about to close up for the night. Harry and Ginny are already upstairs but I haven't seen Hermione yet." Neville said as Ron walked over to the front desk.

"Hello Neville. Hermione's probably working overtime… again. Don't wait up for her, though. She can just Disapparate into the hall." Ron said before walking up the staircase. At the moment he didn't really care how Hermione got home, just as long as she made it there so they could talk about the book. He had been thinking about her reaction all day long. Would she be upset with him for making his chapter so personal? Would she think he was stupid for thinking that her and Harry were together? Would she forgive him for everything because of what he'd been through that night in the clearing? He wouldn't know until she got back.

As he entered the hall way he could hear voices coming from inside the apartment.

"Oh, Harry, I can't believe all this is happening!" Ginny's voice was saying.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." Harry's voice returned. There was a moment of silence and Ron knew that they must be kissing. He sighed and threw the Invisibility Cloak over his body. He wasn't about to interrupt his best friend and his sister making out on his couch. He tapped the doorknob silently with his wand.

"Alb—"

"AHH!"

Hermione had walked straight into him and knocked him into the wall of the narrow hallway.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" She shouted pointing her wand a foot away from where Ron stood. He moved closer to her and grabbed her hands. She started screaming and he heard the door to the flat begin opening. He threw the Cloak over Hermione's head and slapped his hand across her mouth to stop her from screaming.

Ginny appeared in the doorway and looked back and forth. She stepped out into the hall way and began walking around it. Ron pushed against Hermione and the two of them walked into the apartment, careful to keep themselves completely covered by the Cloak. Ginny soon came back in and shut the door behind her. Harry was sitting on the couch holding onto a glass of Firewhiskey.

"Who was there?" He asked as she sat down next to him on the couch.

"Nobody. I guess it was coming from the street or something." She shrugged and Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Well, before that interruption, where were we?" He asked and the two began kissing again. Hermione turned and looked back at Ron.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She whispered fiercely.

"I was trying not to interrupt them." He whispered back and she glared up at him. Although she looked incredibly angry Ron couldn't help but admire how well she fit into his arms and how warm her skin was against his.

"What do we do now? We can't just stand here watching!" She whispered.

"Let's go over to my room."

"Why do we have to go to your room?"

"Because it's closer than your room!"

Hermione shot him another glare before the two started walking slowly over to Ron's bedroom door.

"When are we going to tell Ron and Hermione?" Ginny suddenly asked and the two froze.

"I'm not sure. What do you think they'll do?" Harry asked allowing Ginny to lay on top of him.

"Well Hermione will scream and jump around and talk about how busy we're gonna be making plans and everything."

"And Ron?"

"He'll probably say the same thing my parents did. 'Ginny is far too young to be engaged!'" She said mocking Ron's deep voice. Hermione gasped next to him and he felt his own stomach flip. Ginny and Harry were engaged!

"What was that?" Harry asked looking over to the spot where Ron and Hermione stood. Ron tried to reach around Hermione and grab the door handle but Hermione twisted in the Cloak to get a better look at Harry and Ginny. The two stumbled around and then both fell forward onto the ground. Ron's head hit the door and it swung open. Hermione had fallen on top of him and was looking around to see if Harry and Ginny had noticed. Harry had jumped up from the couch and rushed over to the doorway. Ginny walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his stomach.

"Did you see that? The door just opened on its own." Harry said worriedly looking back at Ginny and then back at the door.

"It was probably just a gust of wind." She told him and kissed him on the cheek. Harry turned around still in her arms and smiled.

"Yeah… you're probably right." He said and the two began kissing again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ron sat up and pulled Hermione to her feet as well. She was incredibly angry with him. He'd had scared her half to death when he snuck up on her in that hallway and now the two of them were hiding from Harry and Ginny! It was positively ridiculous and it was hard for her to resist the urge to hit him.

They walked through the now open door and past Harry and Ginny. When they finally got into the room Ron shut the door slowly behind them. Hermione tossed the Cloak off of herself and threw it to the floor. She opened her mouth to yell at him but just as she did so the door handle began turning and Ron grabbed her wrist and they dived into the open closet. Ron shut the doors just as she heard Harry and Ginny enter the bedroom. The closet was big enough for the two of them to both sit down but they had to hug their knees to their chests. Hermione pulled out her wand and lit up the dark room. The sound of bed springs creaking slightly met them and they could hear Harry and Ginny still kissing.

"I really don't need to hear this." Ron muttered. Suddenly, all they could hear was a soft buzzing noise and all sounds of Harry and Ginny's activities were drowned out. Ron placed his ear to the door listening carefully.

"They've cast the Mufliato charm." He said to her and she rolled her eyes.

"This is just great! What do we do now?" She exclaimed.

"Oh, stop complaining." Ron said in an irritated tone.

"Ron, we're stuck in a closet!" She exclaimed trying to ignore the fact that this was the first real conversation they had had since they broke up.

"Well we've survived worse."

"Don't get an attitude with me!"

"I don't need to. You've got enough attitude for the both of us." He retorted and she felt her cheeks burn red.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"Nothing. Why are you even talking to me anyways? You seem to enjoy pretending that I don't exist anymore." He said and she felt her heart sinking.

"Fine! Then I will!" She shouted. Normally she would tell Ron that she hated ignoring him but he was making her so angry that she didn't want to give him that satisfaction.

"Great!"

"Great!" Hermione repeated and she pulled out her wand and turned the light on the tip of it off.

The two of them fell into silence, each avoiding the other's gaze. Ron was adjusting uncomfortably in the darkness. He couldn't stretch out his long legs in front of him and as Hermione's eyes adjusted to the dark she saw that he was trying to stretch them out at different angles.

"Ouch!" He said jumping slightly.

"What?" She said alarmed afraid that something in the closet had bite him.

"Nothing. I hit my toe on your book." He said.

"What is my book doing in the closet?" She asked appalled. Why had Harry and Ron thrown the books that they had supposedly been so proud of into their closet?

"It's one of the extra copies we were keeping for Charlie until he gets back from Romania." Ron explained picking up the book and holding it in front of himself.

"Oh." She said softly. The chapter that Ron had written in the book was now filling her mind and her guilt was building.

"So did you read it?" He asked her.

"Yes."

Neither of them spoke for at least five more minutes. Hermione felt tears building up behind her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to tell Ron that she had read the chapter ten times and cried every single time. She couldn't tell him that the second she had finished it she wanted to find him and kiss him like she'd never done before.

"If only we hadn't dropped the Cloak out there—" She began.

"We? _We?_ _You're_ the one who dropped it and ran into the closet, not me!" Ron said angrily.

"From the look of it I would say that I wasn't the only one who got in the closet." Hermione shot back at him.

"What was I supposed to do? Sit down on the bed and throw a surprise party when they walked in snogging?" Ron asked and Hermione resisted the urge to laugh at him.

"You are impossible!" She exclaimed suddenly unbelievably frustrated with him.

"Yeah, I know. That's why you hate me, right?" Ron said and Hermione felt her jaw drop.

"I don't hate you, Ron! You're being overdramatic." She immediately berated herself her criticizing him again. If she ever wanted to make up with him she really needed to stop doing that.

"Well you certainly do act like it sometimes. It's not like you love me, though." He said and a tear fell down her cheek and she was incredibly glad that they were in the dark.

"And how do you know that?" She asked.

"Because when you love someone you don't insult their insecurities!" He exclaimed angrily and her mouth snapped shut. "When you love someone you don't go on dates and snog other guys! When you love someone you don't pour gravy down their front and hope that they're late for work. When you love someone—"

"You trust them with your whole heart and never doubt their loyalty to you!" She shouted back, her voice strained as she choked back her tears. How could he be so hypocritical? How could he say that she didn't love him when she did so much for him and he was the one who couldn't even say 'Thank you'?

"When you love someone you don't ignore them for a week because of a fight _you_ started!" She continued her face fuming.

"No." Ron said and she her eyes widened but before she could speak again he continued.

"When you love someone you run around an escape-proof cellar screaming their name, praying that they'll hear you and hold on for a little longer. When you love someone you come back for them even though you were finally safe for once. When you love someone you'd die for them! And trust me, Hermione, I would die for you any day of the week." Ron finished his voice just as strained as her own. He sounded farther away then he really was and it was as if each word caused him more and more pain.

"Ron…" She couldn't find her voice. Her heart was stuck in her throat, blocking any noise from coming out. "'Ron, do you love me?"

Ron didn't look up at her. He didn't speak. Seconds went by that felt like years and Hermione felt her stomach tying itself into small knots and he heart beating so hard it might burst out of her chest. A light entered the room. Ron held his wand high and he was moving closer to her. Hermione felt her breath get caught in her throat. His face was too full of emotion to read.

"_Imagine that: Ron Weasley full of too much emotion."_ She thought to herself. Ron now sat in front of her, his blue eyes boring into her brown ones.

"Hermione… I've loved you for a long time now." He whispered and the tears came pouring down her cheeks freely now.

"Ron," She choked. "Why couldn't you just have told me this before?" She asked him.

"I don't know. I was afraid. Hermione, I've never felt this way about anybody before. During the War it seemed like everybody I loved I ended up losing except for you… and Harry. I thought that if I admitted that I was in love with you that somehow I would lose you too but if I never said it then if I did lose you it wouldn't hurt as much." He explained wiping her tears away with a big hand.

"Oh, Ron. You can be so stupid sometimes." She muttered but before he could retort she threw herself on top of him and began kissing him fiercely.

It felt like their first kiss all over again. It was passionate, unexpected, rough, their hands were grasping on as tightly as possible. Hermione's tears dried on her face as she pulled away from Ron a few inches.

"Ron, I love you." She whispered and for the first time in what seemed like ages he laughed.

"Good." He said and he pulled her back to him and began kissing her again.

"Ron," Hermione said again, pushing him back slightly.

"What?" He asked sounding a bit irritated by her constant interruption.

"I never went out with Kyle. I turned him down the next day at work. I couldn't go through with it." She admitted and Ron smiled brightly.

"That's excellent news." He said.

"Yeah, I was just too much in love with you to actually go on a date with him. Besides… you're much more handsome than he is!" Hermione whispered and she kissed him softly on the forehead.

"Do you really think so?" He asked and Hermione nodded. Ron smiled his lopsided grin and she laughed. Then, brushing his bangs away from his eyes, she gave him a kiss on the lips. Ron did not hesitate to deepen the kiss this time as he leaned backwards so Hermione lay comfortably on top of him. Ron let his tongue slide against her bottom lip. He could hear Hermione giggle slightly into his lips as she opened her mouth and granted him entry. He felt her fingers begin to entangle themselves in his hair and his arms moved up and down her back, pulling her closer and closer to him.

Ron then pushed on Hermione gently, forcing her to lay on her back and for him to hover over her. His fingertips pushed her shirt up just inches above the waistline of her pants, and he felt the segment of bare skin on her stomach. She trembled at his soft touch and he smiled against her lips. He pushed her hair to the side and began to kiss her neck.

"Ron…" She breathed as he made his way back up to cover her lips once more.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley and Hermione Jean Granger! What on earth do you two think you are doing?!"

Ron jumped into the air, flying backwards and hitting his head against Hermione's as she sat up swiftly.

Harry and Ginny stood in the doorway of the open closet with their hands on their hips and grins on their faces.

"Honestly, Hermione, I thought you would have known better." Harry commented as Ron and Hermione stood up and tried to flatten their hair and clothes.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"You of all people should know that the Mufliato charm stops you from hearing us, not from us hearing you." He explained with a smirk and Hermione covered her face in her hands, attempting to hide her blush.

"Are you…are you saying… you…" Ron stuttered next to her.

"Yes, Ron, we heard everything." Ginny said and Ron's face turned as red as his hair.

"Well, it's good that you two have finally admitted that you love each other. It's only taken, what? Four years?" Harry asked still grinning wickedly.

"Oh, it's been six at the very least!" Ginny said to him and he nodded.

"Yes, you're right." He said and the two of them began laughing.

"Oi! Shut it! What about you two? When were you planning on telling us that you got engaged?" Ron exclaimed and the pair stopped laughing immediately.

"Considering we only just got engaged a couple of hours ago, we were planning on telling you as soon as we saw you but considering you were hiding under this:" Ginny said holding up the Invisibility Cloak that had been abandoned on the floor . "We really didn't have much of a choice."

"So what do you think, mates?" Harry asked the pair and Hermione just smiled.

"I think it's brilliant, Harry! Congratulations!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and then Ginny.

"Ron?"

"I guess…" Ron started slowly looking up into Harry's eyes. "I guess we really will be brothers now."

Harry smiled brightly and pulled Ron into a firm hug.

"Congratulations, Harry."

"You too, Ron." Harry replied as they split apart. Ron then turned to his sister and hugged her tightly.

"You are so lucky that he's my best friend."

"Why is that?"

"Because if he wasn't I would have killed him by now." Ron said and Ginny scoffed but Harry and Hermione laughed.

"Let's have a drink!" Harry suggested and the four of them headed out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Hermione grabbed four glasses from the cabinet as Ron poured Firewhiskey into each of them before passing them out.

"To birds!"

"To blokes."

"No….to Invisibility Cloaks."

---

**The End.**

**Thanks again for reviews… please keep posting them. I hope you enjoyed this fic because I really enjoyed writing it. Look out for new fics coming your way ((I'm brainstorming one about Ron and Hermione's adventure in the Chamber of Secrets!!)).**

**Thanks so much.**

**Love,**

**Anna.**


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